


The Anatomy of Cross-Dimensional Pirates

by I_Dont_Like_I_Obsess



Series: Lexi's Series [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Accepting Requests, Action/Adventure, F/M, Humor, One Shot Collection, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-08
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2018-08-29 21:41:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 109,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8506606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Dont_Like_I_Obsess/pseuds/I_Dont_Like_I_Obsess
Summary: Sometimes the best memories are the ones you'd rather forget, especially in Lexi's case. No one should have to put up with the amount of ridiculous shenanigans that these damn pirates put her through. And it doesn't matter how many times they annoy her, she still finds it a little funny. In a sucky way. A collections of one-shots for Lexi!





	1. Joyriding At Midnight

"Psst. Hey, Shachi." Penguin whispered to his friend, tugging on the man's ear. "Heeeyyy, wake up." He tried again, poking him in the cheek. Finally, after feeling a sharp pinch on his arm, Shachi woke with a start, but Penguin clapped a hand over his mouth, bringing a finger to his lips for silence.

"Wh-what? What's goin' on?" He yawned sleepily, reaching on the ground beside him for his glasses, putting them on despite it being dark in the room.

"I have an idea." His friend grinned, pulling on his shoes. Shachi frowned, looking around the room to see their captain fast asleep on the bed. This, in itself, was a rare occurrence.

"What are you talking about? And where are you going? Lexi-chan might wake up."

"Nah, she took some of those sleeping pills, and Captain took some too, so they won't be awake for a few hours." Finishing putting on his shoes, he stood, waiting for Shachi to get dressed and do the same. With a sigh, he did, still wondering what it was that Penguin looked so excited for.

Penguin approached the door, turning the knob slowly so it wouldn't be loud. He peeked into the hallway, looking both ways as if Lexi could be anywhere.

"Hey, you still haven't told me what you're up to." Shachi demanded, stopping and crossing his arms, refusing to budge until he knew what was going on. Penguin turned, that excited grin still in place.

"We're going to drive around in Lexi-chan's truck."

* * *

"Ok, even though Lexi-chan is totally gonna kill us if she finds out, I've been really curious about how they work."

They'd somehow made it outside of the house without alerting anyone. Well, except for Bepo, but they'd convinced him not to say anything. He was tired anyways. Shachi and Penguin descended the porch, only able to see by the moon's pale rays. The truck was parked on the gravel driveway, sideways to the house.

They'd managed to swipe the keys from the little bowl in the foyer, where Lexi always stashed them after coming home. There were several on the ring, but after seeing her drive a few times, they knew which one belonged to the truck.

Approaching the vehicle, they both stopped in front of the driver's side door, looking between each other expectantly.

"I get to drive first." Penguin said, holding out his hand for the keys but Shachi held on tighter.

"No way, I'm the one who remembered to grab the keys, so I should go first!"

"Baka, I'm the one who came up with the idea! If it wasn't for me we wouldn't be out here doing this."

They argued in heated whispers, both knowing that talking too loud or yelling could wake up the occupants of the house. They were both familiar with how light of a sleeper their Captain could be, even while under the effects of sleeping medication on his worst nights. Bickering for a few minutes about who was going to drive, Shachi finally held out his hand in a fist, prompting Penguin to do the same.

"Rock paper scissors?" He guessed, and Shachi nodded, licking his lips in concentration. He really wanted to see what driving one of these things was like, and he wasn't about to lose to Penguin for that honor.

"Ready? Rock, paper, scissors!" They held out their picks, and Shachi fist pumped the air, his rock being Penguin's scissors.

"Dammit…" His friend muttered, slumping over. "I wanted to drive."

"We can switch later on, but I get to drive first!" Shachi announced, pulling open the door and climbing inside, waiting for Penguin to get in on the passenger side. Pulling the doors shut, they sat in the seats, staring down at the suddenly very complicated-looking dashboard, not quite sure how to start.

"Umm, doesn't she put the key in there?" Penguin suggested, pointing to a small slit in the middle of a metal circle. Trying it out, Shachi pulled the correct key from the ring and slid it into the notch. It went all the way in, but nothing happened.

"Hmm. Maybe you gotta press another button?" They tried several things on the front dash, but nothing made the engine start.

"Ah, wait. Doesn't Lexi-chan turn the key? Her wrist is always tilted when she starts it."

"Ah, good idea." Shachi complimented, trying his method. He turned the key away from his body, and the engine began to rev up. But he let go too early, and it stopped. Trying it again, he held it in the up position for a little longer, grinning as the engine seemed to fully come to life, purring beneath them. He let go of the key, and the noise continued.

"Nice! We figured that part out, now we just gotta find out how to move it."

Shachi tried moving the shifter just behind the steering wheel, but it wouldn't move down at all. He inspected the front, eyes slowly wandering to the floor, where he saw two pedals. Frowning, he pressed experimentally on the right one, hearing the engine rev.

"Hmm, so that's the gas, and maybe this is the brake?" He questioned aloud, stepping on the left one but nothing happened.

"But, why aren't we moving?" Penguin asked, scratching his head curiously. They eyed the shifter, recalling that Lexi used it after turning on the vehicle.

"Well, try lots of stuff to see if it does anything." Penguin suggested, shrugging casually. He sat back in the seat, content to let Shachi figure out how everything worked so he would know how when it came to be his turn.

Shachi tried pressing all the buttons again, but nothing seemed to allow the shifter to move. Then, whilst he was holding down the brake, the shifter pulled down, into the 'R' position, whatever that meant.

"What do you think R means?" Shachi turned to Penguin, taking his foot off the brake. They both perked up in excitement when they realized they were moving backwards, slowly, down the driveway.

"Hey! It's working!" His friend exclaimed, peering out the side window to watch what was behind them. Further down was Lexi's mailbox, and they were heading right towards it. "Uh, Shachi?"

"What?" He asked, staring at the dashboard as if it would tell him what to do next.

"You should stop now." Shachi frowned.

"Why?"

 _Crash!_  Behind them, something loud, and presumably made of metal hit the back of the truck, and Shachi looked behind him, seeing the now overturned mailbox laying on the ground, a hole where it had once stood.

"Oh…" He muttered, sheepishly rubbing his head. "Uh…we'll fix it later." He promised, turning back to the pedals. Holding the brake, he shifted it again, this time into the N position. He tried the gas but they didn't go anywhere, the engine revving loudly beneath them.

"Keep it down! We don't want Lexi-chan to wake up!" Penguin shushed, glaring at Shachi. He held up his hands, as if to say 'what do you expect me to do?'

"This is a lot harder than it looks." He griped, shifting it down once more to D, and he pressed on the gas again. Hard.

Instantly, the truck shot forward, heading directly towards the fence opposite.

"STOP HIT THE BRAKE!" Penguin screamed, watching as they sped nearer and nearer the tall fence. Coming to his senses, Shachi slapped on the brake pedal, and they slid to a halt just a few feet from the wood barrier. They shared a look, breathing heavily.

"That was awesome." Shachi grinned high-fiving his friend. "Now, let's take this around the road!"

* * *

Lexi cracked an eye, peering into the darkness of her room. She frowned, groaning into her pillow, her hair a mess around her face.

Propping herself up on one elbow to survey the room, she wondered what had woken her. The brunette vaguely recalled taking those sleeping pills to rest, since she had a big test the next day. She had a tendency to be unable to fall asleep the night before, pre-test nerves getting the better of her. Now, she stared at the clocked, glaring at the red numbers that proclaimed it to be 1:45 in the morning.

She tensed up, eyes widening as she heard a loud screech in front outside. Pausing to try to identify the sound, she realized it sounded like a car. Swinging her legs over the bed, she stood and rushed to the door opening it and stepping out into the hallway.

There was no one in the living room, and all the lights were still off. So, no one had come in the house, which was her first thought. She breathed a little sigh of relief, hearing whoever was driving in front of her house take off down the road. It was probably some teens drag racing again.

She began to turn away back towards her room, but paused when the guest bedroom door slowly eased open, a grumpy and tired-looking Law peering at her.

"What could that noise possibly be so early?" He growled, obviously very much angry that he'd been woken up. Lexi felt the same, and sighed.

"Probably some kids racing. You could hear their tires squealing. Did it wake anyone else up?" She asked, peering into the room behind him.

Bepo was still laying on the floor, peering up at them with…guilt? She tilted her head, walking towards their room as a sinking feeling began to pool in the pit of her stomach. Gently pushing past Law, she surveyed the room, noticing how empty the air mattress was, where the two engineers should have been.

"Where are Shachi and Penguin?" She asked in a low voice, turning to Bepo. He looked away, unable to meet her gaze.

"I'm sorry…" He muttered, wringing his paws. "They said they wouldn't break anything and that they'd be quiet." Beside her, Law sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he seemed to pick up on the situation.

"It was only a matter of time before something like this happened." He shook his head ruefully.

"God damn them." Lexi muttered, turning back to her room to put on some clothes. Even from inside, she could hear the squealing of tires further down the street, and she began to plot what she'd do to the two pirates once they returned.

* * *

"RIGHT. GO RIGHT! TREE!" Penguin yelled, pointing ahead of them as the edge of the forest came closer and closer to their truck. Yanking the wheel, Shachi sent them both flying to the left, and he smacked his head into the window.

"LEFT!" Penguin hollered, holding onto the little handle above his seat with ferocity. Shachi yelled, the wheel cutting hard to the left as they narrowly missed a parked car on the curb of the street, careening them into the open field. They jolted over the curb, speeding through the soft hills of the grass, seemingly in a harmless area at last.

"That was terrifying." Shachi gulped, slowly loosening his fingers from the wheel. They continued through the field, the truck bumping up and down as the land wavered. They weren't wearing seatbelt, because it wouldn't be as fun, according to Penguin.

"My turn! You've been driving for a while." Penguin complained, crossing his arms. Glaring at his friend, Shachi sighed and stomped on the brakes, sending them forward into the dashboard.

They landed against the hard plastic with a thump, and Penguin only barely brought his hands up in time to prevent him from smacking straight into the glass windshield. The truck skidded to a half, spinning as the dirt underneath the tires couldn't gain enough traction.

"Alright, let's switch." Shachi agreed, opening his door and dropping to the ground. He hadn't shifted out of drive, however, and they were on a big of a decline, so as Penguin exited the vehicle, and they were both standing outside, the truck began to roll forward down the small hill, picking up speed.

"SHIT!" Shachi yelled, running with his friend after the runaway vehicle.

* * *

"Where should we go now?" Penguin asked, getting a feel for the steering wheel, sitting in the driver's seat. They'd successfully relinquished control of the truck after it was almost sent front first into a stray tree in the middle of the field. After being sent into the dashboard, they had decided to put on their seatbelt as a safety measure as well. Shachi shrugged at his friend's question, leaning back into his seat.

"Who cares. Just drive." He pointed straight ahead, and far in the distance they could see Lexi's house, the side fence a stark contrast the the rest of the lighter-colored grass covering the hill.

Penguin stomped on the gas, sending them deeper into their seat, and the truck sped away, over the bumpy hills and running over branches, the snaps creating a loud ruckus as they went.

"Yeah! This is awesome!" Penguin cried out, Shachi joining in. They rolled down the windows, sticking their hands out the window to feel the rush of air go by outside.

In their merriment, they didn't see how close the house had gotten to them, until it was too late. Looking up as the side fence to the backyard came closer and closer, Penguin gasped, bracing his arms against the steering wheel, trying to turn right, away from the house, at the last second.

"Don't hit the house!" Shachi yelled, holding tightly to his seatbelt, as if his life depended on it.

Both of them screaming bloody murder, they pummeled through the back fence in an arc, swinging right towards the back of the backyard fence, narrowly avoiding the shed that was in the leftmost corner. Still screaming, they careened into the back one as well, Penguin finally having the common sense to start applying the brakes. With a loud crash, they broke through the wood in a stream of planks and wood chips, pieces splintering into the distance as they abruptly came to a stop, the wreckage of their adventure strewn across the back yard. Their quick stop had caused them to spin, the tires making tire streaks all across the yard, leading directly to them, and Penguin shakily reached up and took out the key to he truck, the engine going quiet as it stopped.

They faced the back of the house, and to their horror, watched as the door opened, the porch light turned on, and an  _extremely pissed off_  Lexi walked onto the wood deck, her arms crossed over her chest. She was still wearing her pajamas, a robe thrown over to ward away the cold.

Their hearts sunk in their chests, seeing their Captain approach from behind Lexi, looking  _equally pissed_ , leaning against the wood railing of the deck.

The two engineers sat in the truck, debating what would happen if they simply refused to go back in the house. Then, sharing a terrified look, they both scrambled out of their seats and out of the vehicle. Slamming the doors shut behind them, they sighed, slumping their shoulders as they resigned themselves to their fate.

* * *

Lexi watched through a particularly peeved glare at the two sulking engineers, they walked slowly, as if prolonging the wait to getting yelled at would make it any easier. It only increased her annoyance.

Finally, after a ridiculously long time, they made it to the deck, heads down and feet digging into the dirt. She said nothing, and neither did Law, simply staring at the two ashamed pirates until they spoke first. It took them awhile to realize that this is what they were doing.

"Uh…h-hi, Lexi-chan, Captain." Shachi started fearfully. "Nice n-night we're h-having…isn't it?"

"Y-yeah, really nice…" Penguin added, rubbing the back of his neck under the scrutiny of Lexi and Law.

Lexi sighed, looking away to survey the damage to the two fences. Her eyes narrowed, wondering how much it would cost to have the fencing company come in and repair them. Her anger only growing, she pointed to the ruined barriers.

"Care to explain those? And why my mailbox is now bent and toppled over? Oh, or how my truck is now in the middle of a field behind my backyard fence? Which is now  _in pieces!?_ " She spit, unable to contain her anger.

"We're s-" They began, but she held up a hand.

"I don't even want to hear your apologies, because saying  _sorry_  isn't going to fix my fence, now is it? I'm gonna have to call the city and have them come down to fix it, and guess how much money that's gonna cost, hm?" She raised her eyebrows, expecting an answer from either of them. Several seconds of silence later, and Penguin gulped.

"Umm…a lot?" He ventured to guess, and she nodded.

" _A. Lot."_

They tried turning to their captain, who had until then remained silent, looking more tired than before admittedly. "Captain, we were-" Shachi tried to explain, but he narrowed his eyes.

"Go inside. You are not to leave the room until I say." He demanded, pointing towards the back door to the house. Immediately, they dropped their heads and shuffled towards the door.

"Yes, Captain." They grumbled beneath their breath, knowing that they were in the wrong here, and that no amount of pleading or explaining would fix what had happened. They trudged inside, closing the door behind them, leaving Law and Lexi outside alone.

"Oh my god…" She muttered, massaging the rapidly growing headache with her fingers. Law covered a yawn, feeling much the same.

"They'll start fixing the damage in the morning. I'll be sure of it." He promised, a dark glint in his eye. Even being a pirate, Law had what he considered to be a fair sense of honor and justice, and seeing as his engineers were  _his_  responsibility, technically, this was mostly his fault.

Lexi inspected the fence, and the deep tire marks in the grass once more, turning away before she could curse the two pirates any more than she already have.

"I should have kept driving." She muttered to herself, ignoring the strange look Law sent her way. "I should have just kept driving away, then none of this would have happened."


	2. Pool Noodles and Bikinis

"You'll be fine. You said you didn't have your powers, right? That should mean you won't sink." Lexi reasoned, stuffing four beach towels into her swim bag, throwing in some sunscreen and her pair of sunglasses for good measure. "Besides, you won't know for sure until you test it out."

Law sighed, leaning on the washing machine as she finished packing their stuff, then slung it over her shoulder. "I suppose, but isn't there any other place to go swimming besides a  _public_  pool?"

They walked out of the laundry room, meeting in the foyer where Shachi and Penguin were outfitted in their swim shorts that Lexi had graciously bought for them. Penguin's, not ironically, had small penguins all over them. Shachi's had small whales. They'd picked them out themselves. Lexi wasn't really surprised by this.

It was strange not seeing them in their hats, but both Shachi and Penguin had handsome faces. She wondered why they hid them so much. Brittany might set her sights on them instead. She turned to Law in answer to his question.

"No, the other swimming holes are only accessible down the trails, and they're closed because of unsafe water. This is the only place to go." She smirked, seeing the deep-set scowl on his face.

"We'll behave ourselves, Captain. We promise!" Shachi saluted, Penguin mimicking his action. Again, the pirate sighed, rolling his eyes.

"That's not my main concern exactly." He muttered, standing rather awkwardly in his own swimming shorts, which Lexi had made him wear. He was so used to wearing his spotted pants that this was just strange. Perhaps he was shy about people seeing his body? But then she remembered his chest tattoo and dismissed that idea. There was no way someone as cocky and confident as Law was self-conscious about his body image.

"Got all of your stuff you wanted to bring?" The brunette asked. The engineers checked that they had the pool noodles, the new bag of pool toys, and their goggles on top of their heads. Lexi resisted the urge to laugh, thinking that they looked like oversized children about to go swimming for the first time ever.

"Yup!" They confirmed, and she opened the front door, flip flops slapping against the tile.

"Alright, let's go. Nana! Bepo! We'll be back later!" She called, walking out the door.

"Have fun! Watch out for German submarines!" The old woman called back, and Lexi couldn't help but smirk.

* * *

The four of them walked into the lobby of the swimming pool building. It was an outdoor pool but they still had to sign in through the reception. Lexi showed them her member's card, and the receptionist waved them through towards the locker room doors. They came upon the women's door first, and she stopped in front of it.

"Keep going down and there's a door on the left. Just go through all the way and you'll get to the main pool area." Lexi explained, pointing down the hallway. Law nodded and led his nakama to the men's lockers, while Lexi slipped inside the women's.

She'd come with her bathing suit already on underneath her street clothes, so she bypassed the lockers entirely and headed towards the door to the outside swim area. Pushing it open, she walked out onto the pavement surrounding the swim area.

The local pool was actually very luxurious for such a small city. The residents of the city had spared no dollar in creating this place to unwind after a hot day. The center of the enclosed outside area held a large lap pool. Currently it was open swim, with all the floating lane dividers rolled up on large wheels further away on the pavement. To the right of that was another, smaller and deeper pool for diving, with a diving board at the end. To the left was a splash pad for younger kids and the childish adults, behind that still a small kiddie pool for infants and toddlers, complete with small plastic seahorses and octopi the children could sit on.

There was a large grassy area surrounding the pools and splash pad, a place for sunbathers to lay down towels, with a terrace at the back for barbecues and get togethers.

Lexi waited near the men's door for the others, finally spotting them come through. Thankfully they hadn't gotten lost like she feared would happen.

"Can we go in now?" Shachi and Penguin asked, pointing towards the open swim pool where kids splashed and raced each other in the water. Lexi grinned, shrugging.

"Go for it."

"Alright!" Penguin shouted. The two of them yanked off their t-shirts and tossed them at Lexi, jogging towards the pool. Immediately, the lifeguard in her tower at the edge of the pool blew her whistle, pointing to the two of them and shaking her head. Slowing down, they fast-walked the rest of the way, jumping into the water in cannonball fashion.

Beside her, she heard Law sigh again, watching them emerge from the water. Balling up their clothes and tucking them under her arm, she grinned, walking towards the grassy area to put their stuff down. "Just let them have fun." She suggested as he followed.

"They're supposed to keep up a fearsome appearance and then they do things like that." He lamented, unable to help the small grin that plastered his face. As much as he condemned when the crew became too rambunctious and childlike, he couldn't help but find amusement in their shenanigans.

"Is that why you didn't want to come to a public pool?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow. She didn't miss the side glance her way.

"Part of it. I still don't know if I can swim or not in your world, Lexi-ya. Making a fool of myself is surprisingly  _not_  one of my preferred ways to spend my time." He glowered, and she only chuckled.

"Well, I'm sure you'll be fine. Besides, no one knows who you are and you won't be here forever." She smirked, picking an unoccupied spot on the grass. She dropped the bag on the ground and took out her towel, spreading it out on the grass. She tossed Law his towel and he did the same right beside Lexi's. She stood, reaching for the hem of her t-shirt, bringing it over her head and tossing it into the bag with the boys' shirts. Next she kicked off her flip flops, unbuttoning her shorts and shimmying out of them on her towel.

Lexi could feel Law's eyes on her as she wore nothing but her electric-blue two-piece swimsuit. She'd always felt like she looked really good in it and Law's attention only served to confirm that fact. Grinning, she turned to Law, who openly stared.

"You gonna take your shirt off to swim, right?" She prodded, reaching back into the bag for the sunscreen.

"Tch." He answered with a scowl. His eyes returned to the pool where Shachi and Penguin were now whacking each other with their pool noodles, attempting to sword fight with the flimsy things.

Lexi smiled at his response, twisting the top of the spray-on sunscreen and standing with her arms and legs apart. The fine mist hit her skin and she shivered. It was cold. "Alright, well, suit yourself. You're gonna get really hot really quick with all this humidity." She promised, coating her skin in the protective spray.

Once she'd gotten all the parts she could reach, she held out the spray bottle to Law. "Can you get my back?" She asked, turning to show him. "You just hold down the sprayer right there."

He stood, bottle in hand, and covered her back with a generous amount. She shivered again, feeling the fine mist hitting her spine. She giggled, turning back to him when she was satisfied with the amount.

He grinned, pleased by her reaction. His eyes skimmed her body, appreciative that she'd chosen a bikini to wear. Much more of her pale skin was exposed than usual, and he liked what he saw. He missed the flushed cheeks his open appreciation of her body caused.

"Well, I'm gonna go in. So, you can join me if you want to." She offered, pouting when he shook his head. "Alright, well, you're missing out." And with that she went off to join Shachi and Penguin in their attempts at blowing water through the hollow noodles, shooting each other in the face.

They called out to her once she approached the edge of the pool, waving at them. They froze, seeing her in her full bikini, and she was fearful that they'd start getting nosebleeds, right there in the middle of the public pool, but thankfully they had some semblance of control. The only physical change was both of their faces going a deep tomato red.

"L-Lexi-chan…You look amazing." Shachi drooled, Penguin nodded, forgetting all about their fight they were in the middle of. She laughed, stepping easily into the pool and she sunk to her shoulders quickly. It was a little cold but it slowly felt warmer.

"Have you guys ever played Marco Polo?" She asked, smiling as she swam further in. They shook their heads. "Well, then I'll teach you!"

* * *

Law watched Lexi and the boys swim around, raising a brow when she appeared to be with her eyes closed, arms out as she attempted to find them in the water. It was a little difficult with people in the pool but they looked to be having fun.

He narrowed his eyes at the water. Perhaps what she'd said was true. Because he was without his devil fruit ability in this world, it may be that his inability to swim was no longer there as well. He frowned, wondering for the first time if he even remembered  _how_  to swim. It had been years since he'd eaten the Ope Ope no Mi, and even longer still since he'd played in a pool for fun. Not since before…

He shook his head, not wanting to go down that train of thought. Looking up, he surveyed the outdoor area. There were several other people around them with towels out across the grass, bags and baskets beside them. Lexi had packed them a couple snacks in case they got hungry, and a soda for each of them. He could see others had the same idea, with coolers holding water bottles and other confections.

Most of the adults lay sunbathing on their towels, or wading with their small children in the kiddie pool behind the splash pad. Teenagers and younger children comprised most of those attending, which was no surprise.

Just as Lexi had predicted, the heat of the sun and the moist air made his shirt cling to his chest, and without a second thought he pulled it over his head, placing it on top of the bag along with the rest of everyone's clothes. This left him in nothing but the swim shorts she'd bought for the guys, which felt strange and unnatural.

His eyes scanning the area, he locked eyes with a girl around Lexi's age, tugging her sunglasses down to stare at his chest, most likely his large tattoos. He smirked back, leaning backwards on his hands to give her a better view. When she saw she was caught in the act of openly admiring him, she blushed, pulling her sunglasses up to shield her eyes and looking away quickly. Law chuckled. He could say he didn't know he had that affect on people.

But that would be a lie.

* * *

"I dare you to run all the way through the splash pad." Lexi told the two engineers, pointing to the jungle gym-like structure of the paced playground, where several younger kids screamed and run through the streams of water, their hands flapping back and forth as the colder water hit them.

"Well, what's so hard about it?" Shachi questioned, an eyebrow raised.

"It doesn't look difficult at all." Penguin added, watching younger children do it easily. She grinned, shoved them in the right direction.

"Just do it!"

Not ones to back out of a challenge, they exchanged a look and headed towards the edge of the pool, launching themselves out to sit on the edge before standing. They dripped water all over the pavement, walking towards the set. Lexi grinned, watching as they approached.

From this distance she couldn't hear what they were saying but Shachi reached a tentative hand out to the water, withdrawing it quickly at the chill. Penguin must have said something about Shachi being a wimp, since the redhead clenched his fists and shoved his friend straight into the water. Penguin cried out in shock at how cold it was and grabbed onto Shachi's arm, dragging him in as well.

They both shouted at each other to 'take it like a man' and 'you'll pay for this.' Lexi chuckled, watching them flail around inside the fountains of freezing water but too prideful to leave without going through the whole thing, teeth bared as they chattered uncontrollably. Shrieks equalling that of the young children they ran around, the two tried standing their ground but found the cold to be too much.

Finally making it through the whole course, they exited and fast-walked back to the pool she was in. She laughed, shielding her eyes with an arm as they jumped in, rising to the surface and sighing in content.

"That was freezing…" Penguin muttered, sinking further into the much warmer water of the large pool.

"So warm…" Shachi agreed, closing his eyes as his body temperature returned to normal. Lexi only laughed, swimming in place with glee, wondering what other pool games they could play. She glanced Law's way, noticing he'd taken off his shirt like she suggested. Smiling at the sight of his tattoos, she saw he was watching them with a curious grin, shaking his head slowly. Well, she was glad he seemed to be warming up to the place, and she wasn't adverse to getting a eyeful of his sexy tattoos. But he was still just sitting there.

"Doesn't he ever do fun things?" She complained, spinning around in the water out of boredom. The two shrugged.

"Captain can't swim in our world, so he might just be hesitant to join us."

"But Captain doesn't technically have his devil fruit right now…so, shouldn't he be able to swim?" Shachi added.

"Hmm…" The engineers hummed, stroking their fingers on their chins. "Well, it would be fun if Captain joined us for once."

Lexi turned back to the two engineers, grinning devilishly. "Wanna help me get Law in the pool?" She asked them, their grins matching the wickedness of her own.

* * *

According to the plan, Shachi and Penguin got out of the pool, shaking off the water on the pavement as they approached where Lexi had set up their stuff. Lexi waved at Law, who sat and watched them come towards him. He cocked his head, and she motioned for him to meet her over there. Sighing, he stood, walking closer to the pool. He passed Shachi and Penguin by, and they smiled, probably on their way to get one of the snacks Lexi had packed them.

"Come on in, Law. The water's fine!" The brunette tried to persuade, but he only stood there and crossed his arms.

"I'm fine up here." He concluded, watching her spin in the water with a big smile on her face.

"Aww, come on! The whole point of coming here was to swim! You have to swim!" She jumped up and down slowly in the water, her arms held out under the water.

"We don't even know that I won't sink. The weaknesses of my devil fruit may still be in effect." He tilted his head, watching her slowly smirk. She crossed her arms across her chest, slowly swimming backward.

"I'm afraid you don't really have a choice."

Law frowned, wondering what she meant. Then, seeing the shadows of two people standing behind him, his eyes widened, and he turned just in time to see Shachi and Penguin, who hadn't gone to eat their snacks after all, push him into the pool. Before he fell, however, he managed to grab each of their wrists and hold tight, dragging them falling into the water with him.

Lexi watched in amusement as all three pirates tumbled into the water, upsetting the waves and creating a huge splash as they dove under. She skirted the edge of where they'd fallen, watching their dark figures under the surface move and swim about.

Shachi and Penguin came up for air first, followed by Law a moment later. He wiped away the water from his eyes and glared at the three of them.

"You are all children." He declared, pushing the now wet hair out of his face. All three of them cracked up, high-fiving and looking decidedly pleased with themselves. Lexi grinned, swimming towards him.

"Well, hey. Now you know you can swim here in my world." She declared, pointing towards his feet. He brought his attention to the water level, surprised that he felt no rapid weakening of his muscles and a draining of his energy as would normally happen if he fell into a large body of water. He held up his hands to inspect them, clenching them when nothing felt out of the ordinary. In fact, he almost felt comfortable submerged in the water as he was.

He'd loved to swim as a child, with Lami and his family, and it seemed his natural affinity for water had never really left him.

"Now, every pool outing requires at least one chicken fight. And unlike other pools, this one lets you play it!" Lexi giggled, bouncing around on one foot to the other underwater. "Now, who's gonna be my partner?"

"Me!" Shachi and Penguin both raised their hands at the same time, then turned and glared at each other. "No, me!"

"I should be her partner! I'm much better at chicken fighting then you!"

"Baka, says who? You could never beat me!"

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that!" They bickered, ignoring Lexi and Law as they drifted closer together. Lexi sighed gently, crossing her arms with a grin.

"I guess I should have expected that…" Law smirked as well, dipping his head below the water. Lexi continued watching the two fight playfully, eyes widening when she felt something between her legs. She let out a shriek as her legs were propped up on Law's shoulders when he stood up, upper body emerging from the water. The brunette looked down at the grinning Captain, and she flailed her arms around to gain balance.

She was surprised by his apparent eagerness to join in the fun, but it was a pleasant surprise. The two engineers looked their way, sighing.

"We won't be beat by a girl!" Penguin yelled, ducking into the water and propping Shachi up. They approached each other, Lexi grinning with her hands at the ready.

"Sorry, Lexi-chan, but I have to preserve my honor as a man, so I can't let you win." Shachi grimaced, hesitantly holding up his hands at the ready. She shook her head.

"Don't go easy on me now."

"Ready, go!" Some random teenaged boy yelled, swimming close to the two teams. Prompted into action Law and Penguin approached each other, and Lexi and Shachi grabbed each other's hands, pushing this way and that trying to knock the other off. A few kids and teens around them cheered them on, caught up in the fun and rooting for one side or the other. In a small town everyone sort of knew everyone, so it was all pretty familiar.

Lexi bared her teeth, pushing as hard as she could at the man seated on Penguin's shoulders. He concentrated hard, pushing with equal strength back against her resistance.

She grinned again, giving a sudden shove in his direction, throwing her weight into the push, and Shachi flailed backwards, losing his balance, They passed the point of recovery and both men fell straight back into the water. The people around them cheered, and another group even joined in as well, making their own teams and battling each other.

"Alright! Woo!" Lexi hollered. She leaned down, patting Law's cheek. "Nice job." She complimented with a smirk. He looked up at her with a strange look, shaking his head ruefully.

"I want a rematch!" Shachi called when they broke the surface again, sputtering water from their mouths. Lexi laughed, adjusting her weight on Law's shoulders.

"Bring it on!"

* * *

Lexi and Law decided to take a break from swimming for a little while, returning to the towels. Shachi and Penguin wanted to stay in a bit longer, discovering the many joys of pool noodles and how you could ride them like a horse if you sat on them. Lexi lay back on her towel, sunglasses over her eyes as she relaxed. Law sat and watched his engineers, glancing Lexi's way on occasion, taking in the gentle curves of her hips. He had to resist the urge to reach out and stroke the smooth skin there. He doubted she'd appreciate such a gesture in such a public place.

Shachi and Penguin got out of the pool and wandered over towards them, carrying the pool noodles with them. When they got close, Lexi lifted her glasses over her eyes, watching the two approach.

"You're not done already, are you?" She asked, but they shook their heads.

"We're going to go over to the diving board." Penguin explained, pointing to the other pool with the board in question. She nodded and returned to laying down, watching as the two set down the noodles beside her towel, wandering over to the line for the diving board.

"Ten bucks says one of them belly flops the first go." She muttered with a soft grin, laying her head on her arms. Law shook his head, since he had a feeling she was right.

"20 says they both do." He admitted softly, and she laughed aloud.

The two joined the small line behind the ladder for the diving boards. Small kids and teenagers talked with friends as one at a time climbed the group of teen girls in front of them glanced the pirates' way, looking away quickly and giggling. Lexi smirked at the sight, gaining Law's attention.

"What?" He asked, and she pointed at his engineers.

"Looks like they have some admirers." She chuckled.

Directing his gaze on the girls she was referring to, Law sighed, leaning his cheek on his hand. This couldn't end well.

Finally, it was the girls' turn to go, and the first one stepped up the ladder. A redhead, she wore a dark green one piece, and she slowly stepped up to the edge, constantly looking her friends' way-or the engineers' way to make sure they were watching. Settling herself at the end of the board, she jumped in place a few times before spinning around and splashing into the deep water.

It was a weak jump, and Lexi honestly wasn't impressed. She resurfaced and swam to the left edge of the pool, swimming in place as she waited for her friends to go. The next one stepped up, a blonde this time, who had an even skimpier bathing suit than Lexi. She cocked an eyebrow, watching as the blonde ran full pelt towards the end, not bothering to bounce on the board, before leaping off and flailing in the air, squealing the whole way down to the water. She made a bigger splash than the first.

She rose to the top and joined the redhead on the side. Lastly was another blonde, a bit bigger around than the first, but with a very flattering red bathing suit that Lexi thought was adorable. She took a moment's hesitation before jogging to the end, jumping at the edge and sailing through the air in a perfect dive, plunging into the water with minimal splash.

Lexi nodded appreciatively, glancing at Law and seeing him smirk at the brunette. Frowning, she shrugged. "What? It was good."

"Indeed." He agreed, chuckling before turning back to the board, where Shachi was now climbing up the ladder. The redhead looked all arms and legs as he climbed the ladder, standing at the top of the board.

Shachi glanced back at Penguin, who gave a quick thumbs up, before staring out at the water. Grabbing the railing on both sides, he began to run down the board. Lexi tensed, hoping for the best.

He took a mighty leap, propelling himself off the edge of the board and doing flips in the air, then, landed in a perfect dive just as the third girl had, and Lexi sat with her mouth wide open. The girls on the side of the pool cheered, chattering excitedly amongst themselves.

"…Wow…" Lexi finally managed, laughing at the impressive display. "Maybe I underestimated them."

Shachi emerged from under the surface and swam over to the edge of the pool, waiting on Penguin. His friend climbed the ladder and prepared himself, breathing slowly. Lexi leaned forward, crossing her legs, in anticipation for something equally as cool as Shachi's trick.

All ready, Penguin ran to the edge of the board, jumping just as Shachi had done…

And immediately his foot slipped, sending him backflipping through the air and landing straight onto his belly with a loud smack.

"Ooh…" Lexi cringed, instinctively clenching her fists. "That's gotta hurt." Even Law squinted at the sound of his engineer's body contacting with the water.

Penguin rose to the surface and was greeted by the resounding laughter of Shachi and the three girls. Much to his dismay. Sighing, he swam to join his friend, and they got out of the pool together, Penguin a little more hesitantly than Shachi. Seeing Penguin stand, Lexi covered her mouth to prevent her laugh, seeing the bright red skin all over his chest.

* * *

"Let's go home now…" Penguin sat glumly, trying to cover his now bright red chest with crossed arms.

"No way! I still want to stay!" Shachi demanded, turning to Lexi. "Please, Lexi-chan? It's a lot of fun here." He held up his hands in a praying motion, a pleading expression obviously meant at persuading her. She grinned but began digging in her bag for their shirts and towels.

"Well, I've pretty much soaked up all the sun I wanted, so maybe we should go. Besides, we can always come back on a super hot day." Lexi didn't miss the slight disappointment in Shachi's eyes, and the evident relief in Penguin's but ultimately no one really complained about her decision. They hadn't even eaten their snacks, but they could just have them at home.

Once they were all dried, Lexi handed out their clothes, simply covering herself with the towel and putting on her flip flops. She hadn't brought a bra or underwear, so she'd just drive with her towel on. Grabbing the bag, they all trekked out the metal gate on the side, where a lifeguard was placed to ensure no one would enter through it. It was meant as an exit only.

Lexi nodded to the woman on duty, who opened the gate for them and ushered them through. Shachi and Penguin decided they'd see who was faster and better by racing to Lexi's truck, and took off running through the parked cars. Shaking her head, Lexi only chuckled.

Law came up beside her and leaned in close. "I might have been hesitant to come with this time, but I would consider going again in the future." Then, he smirked devilishly. "If you wear the same swimsuit."

Her eyes widened, and she blushed. Delighted by her reaction, he chuckled and walked past her towards the truck, leaving Lexi to stare at his back all the way to the truck. The brunette rolled her eyes. Oh well. She couldn't exactly say she didn't check Law out several times during their outing.

Because who wouldn't oggle a half-naked sexy pirate? Lexi may be prideful, but she wasn't that stupid.


	3. Snails Are Cute

"Soo cuuuttteee!" Lexi squeed, eyes filled with stars as she stared at the little snail phone sitting on Law's table. The snail in question sported a very unamused look on it's face underneath the brim of it's tiny spotted hat, courtesy of the grumpy Captain on the other end of the line. It sighed, it's eyes rolling in impatience.

"Lexi-ya, please pay attention." The Heart Pirates Captain was currently out and about purchasing supplies for when they departed for the next island, but Lexi was told to stay in Law's quarters until he returned, as her injuries still hadn't fully healed and it hurt to move around too much.

The brunette was kneeling on the floor in front of the desk, the cuteness overload leaving her unable to stand without jumping up and down in excitement. She fawned over the little creature, cocking her head.

It had only been a few weeks after following Law and his men into this new world, and she was still learning the ropes. Since Law had been one of the only ones to visit her for the majority of the time while she stayed in the infirmary healing up, she had yet to experience most of the mundane things this world had to offer. Like these tiny talking snails with numbers and small receivers in their backs for calling people. And morphed into the facial features of whoever was on the other end. Neat.

"How does it do that? It looks just like you! All grumpy and adorable!" She reached over to rub the shell, oblivious of the deadpan stare the snail gave her in return.

"Lexi-ya." It stated evenly.

"What? I can't help it!" She chuckled, setting her arms on the desk and resting her cheek on top. "You need to call me more often so I can see your face on this adorable snail phone thing. What's it called again?"

The snail sighed, it's tiny little stubs for arms rubbing its head in exasperation. "It's a den-den mushi. Now stop talking and pay attention for one moment.  _Please._ " He added emphatically, it's teeth gritting in frustration. Chuckling at his annoyed expression, she rolled her eyes.

"Alright, alright. What's up?"

"I need you to check and see if I already have a few medical books. Go to the bookshelf and I'll read you a few of the titles."

"Roger that!" She saluted, picking up the little snail phone gingerly and walking over to Law's massive bookshelf, bolted to the steel walls so they wouldn't fall off during back seas.

"Ok, go ahead." She signaled, and the snail nodded, eyes suddenly downcast as it looked to it's hands.

"Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking."

"Hmm…" She muttered, scanning the many books for anything similar. After a moment she shook her head. "Nope, I don't see it here."

Law's snail nodded and moved it's hands, probably handling the many medical books he was carrying. "Essentials of Pathophysiology."

"…Yeah, it's here."

"Diagnostic Imaging of the Brain."

"Umm…Nope." As she searched, she began to see a trend in the titles lining the shelves. "Do you really put them by order of the body system they pertain to?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes, it makes finding a particular volume faster." He said absentmindedly, the snail's hands still moving around. "Last one. Atlas of Normal Roentgen Variants That May Simulate Disease."

"Jeez, that's a mouthful." Again, she looked through the whole shelf, since that particular book would be difficult to place. "Nothing I can find."

"Then that is all I need." He looked back up to her, the eyes rimmed with circles just as her Captain's were. She pouted, seeing the distinction. He really needed more sleep. Though, he did look kind of mysterious with them…Hmm, what a dilemma.

"Did I ever tell you that you have a cute face?" She grinned, waggling her eyebrows. The snail raised a brow, shaking it's head.

"More than once, and more than enough times. How many times do I have to tell you that pirates aren't supposed to be 'cute?'" He sighed deeply, closing it's eyes as if hoping she would just stop talking. Then, Lexi had a thought, and ignoring his question she looked up to the ceiling, a finger rubbing at her bottom lip.

"Hey, with these snail phones that show your face…I bet phone sex would be a lot more interesting that way." She mused aloud, glancing down at the snail, grinning widely at it's shocked and slightly embarrassed expression. It was almost unheard of for Law to be flustered, but seeing the slight pink tinge to the snail's face was so worth it!

Since becoming a member of the strange little pirate crew, she'd certainly gained a more adventurous personality, the part of her she'd always wanted to show through but never felt like it was appropriate to in her home world. But, the craziness of these pirates really fit her new boldness, and teasing the Captain was her new favorite pastime, as she'd come to realize. She chuckled, as he opened his mouth only to close it again, unsure of how to respond. "Anyways, I'll leave you to your shopping! Have fun! And hurry back so I can see your adorable face again!"

"Lexi-ya, stop-" He started, but she simply placed the receiver back on the snail's shell, the eyes drooping and returning to it's sleeping state. She burst into laughter, recalling the exasperated expression on it's face with fondness. Oh, she could get used to this world.

* * *

Law stared at the den den mushi, eyebrow twitching. The green eyes of the snail closed with a small 'gatcha.' She had hung up. Before he could lecture her for calling him cute, once again. He sighed again, willing the faint blush from her unexpected revelation to leave his cheeks.

That woman, he'd never understand her. Shaking his head, he tucked the den den mushi into his jacket pocket, clutching the medical books he didn't own and headed towards the front register, hoping that the man behind it hadn't heard their discussion from the aisle towards the back of the store. From the knowing grin on the old man's face, it seemed he had.

Law resorted to glaring his way, placing the books onto the counter.

Still, a part of him mused, she had a point. He'd never really thought about it before. But…

His casual smirk returned as he paid for his books and left.

Perhaps he'd have to test out her theory one day. Preferably with the brunette involved, of course. It was her idea, after all.


	4. I'm Feeling Lucky Pt. 1

Lexi walked with Bepo through the port city of Meddina, staring up in awe at the huge buildings all around them. They walked through the crowd of people, well, Bepo did. Lexi trailed behind him to avoid being bumped again by drunkards and flashily-dressed ladies with pinch-faced expressions.

"Isn't the sub that way?" Lexi questioned, pointing in another direction to the one they were going. Bepo sniffed the air, swiveling his head back and forth trying to find their way back.

"Umm…I think it's this way…maybe…" He wrung his paws, suddenly unsure of how accurate his sense of direction was. "It's difficult to stick to one scent, there's a lot of them in the air." He explained, looked dejectedly around hoping to spot a familiar face. Lexi sighed, scratching the back of her head.

"Well, we've got to get back to the sub soon. It's almost dark, and we've gotta tell Captain about this!" She held up the neatly folded flyer, grinning in excitement. "If we're too late then they might have decided to go somewhere else already."

And with new purpose in mind, they weaved in and out of the crowd, attempting to find the rest of the crew and their Captain, the flyer stuffed back into Lexi's hoodie pocket.

* * *

"Jeez, what took you two so long?" Shachi grumped, sitting on the gangplank outside the sub, standing up and crossing his arms once Lexi and Bepo approached. The brunette grinned sheepishly.

"Well, we sort of got lost there for a minute." He smiled and shook his head, beginning to walk with them up the ramp towards the entrance to the vessel.

"Everyone else is back already. You're the last ones. Did you find someplace good?"

Chuckling, Lexi brought out the piece of paper again and tapped the sheet, smirking devilishly. "Oh yeah. Wait till you guys hear about it." And with that they all entered the sub, making their way towards the kitchen where everyone was gathered.

* * *

"A casino?" Law questioned, reading the flyer Lexi had taken from someone on the street. She nodded, holding her hands behind her back as she rocked back and forth on her heels. She'd never been to a casino before back in her world, and she had always wanted to go. Sadly her lack of funds was kind of a problem back then, but their recent raid of another pirate crew's ship had produced a hefty amount of gold to spend.

Everyone perked up at the word 'casino.' From the surprised looks on their faces, perhaps such an entertainment hub was a commodity in this world. They weren't too common where she lived before, but the economical structure of this new one was still a mystery to her. 'Oohs' and shouts of 'awesome!' were only some of the outbursts among the crew, the noise growing quiet when Law held up a hand.

"Well, we have the choice between the bar that Shachi-ya and Penguin-ya found on the edge of town and the casino. I'll let you decide amongst yourselves where you wish to go."

A man raised his hand in the air, looked disappointed. "What about the strip club?" He asked, and Shachi and Penguin clasped their hands together in a pleading gesture, turning to their Captain.

"Please, Captain? We haven't gone in awhile and I need to beat Shachi's record of four lap dances in one night!" Penguin complained, huffing when his friend elbowed him in the ribs angrily.

"There's no way you could ever beat me, heh." The engineer snickered, face twisting in pain as Penguin stomped on his foot "Ah! Hey!"

"Enough." He said sternly, effectively stopping the two engineers from getting into a fist fight right there in the mess deck. Fists raised to punch one another, fistfuls of their shirts in their hands, they quickly looked to Law before muttering quietly and releasing each other, turning away and glaring daggers at the other.

"The strip club is out of the questions because of the events of last time." He declared, glaring at the two engineers in particular, plus a few other men who looked away with pink cheeks. "I don't want a repeat of that."

Lexi was curious as to what happened, but figured from the faces of everyone around that she was better off not knowing. After they all quieted down, Law held up the poster again.

"Casino or the bar?" He asked, and everyone talked amongst themselves to figure out the answer. After several minutes of debate, the men began calling out.

"The casino!"

"I want to win that jackpot!"

"Ooh, and the women in bunny costumes will be there!"

Law smirked at their decision rolling up the flyer and stuffing it into his jeans pocket, standing from his seat. "Bepo, come with me to the vault room."

"Aye, Captain!" The bear saluted, following after Law as he went to take out the necessary funds for that night's outing. Lexi grinned, excited for what was to come.

* * *

The Heart Pirates followed Law and Bepo as they read the directions to the casino. It was deeper into the city, hidden away in all of the tall buildings that rose high in the sky, lights illuminating the streets below. The glittering dresses and bright-colored skirts of the ladies caught Lexi's eye, their carefree laughter lost in the murmur of people talking. Men led women by their arms, into and out of large stores. She saw shopping bags everywhere, indicating just how rich the city's economy was. The casino must produce a lot of revenue for their city, judging by the luxurious standards in which the residents lived.

The nightlife of Meddina was even more packed than it had been previous, and if it hadn't been for Law's 'get out of my way' atmosphere, and Bepo's large frame, it would have been extremely difficult to walk even ten feet. Thankfully the large gathering of pirates in semi-formal clothing seemed to make the residents move out of their way in no time.

Lexi looked down at her own hoodie and jeans, feeling a bit underdressed for the occasion. Unfortunately, she had nothing fancier or occasion-appropriate for their little adventure tonight. The others had replaced their boiler suits for nice jeans or slacks, with button-up shirts and vests. Even Law, whom she was so used to wearing maybe two different variants of his hoodie, donned a white dress shirt and black vest, foregoing his hat in favor of looking the part. Overall, Lexi was impressed at how nicely the rough and tumble pirates cleaned up.

Too bad she'd left her world without bringing anything with, otherwise that dress she'd worn to the party before would have been a good choice now. She mentally shrugged. Oh, well. No use thinking about it now.

Law must have seen her self-conscious glance at her own clothing, because he smirked and leaned closer. "We'll find a clothing store for you to get a dress." He promised, smirking at her sudden blush.

"You don't have to. It's alright." She wasn't used to being offered a shopping trip, and probably an expensive one at that, judging by the outfits of most women out of the street. And Law's own. He simply chuckled.

"If you're worried about the cost, don't. We took more than enough from that pirate ship."

She glanced away. "I-it's not that specifically…"

"Hmm. Then what might the problem be?" His tone was teasing and lighthearted, meant to ease her worries, but she only shook her head. She didn't exactly want to say her hesitation out loud.

She felt awkward going dress shopping with Law, considering that they were…well, whatever they were. Plus, she was always a little doubtful of her own beauty, which made dressing up rather stressful. Fancy clothing implied that some sort of attention would be placed on you, which she wished could be avoided. And seeing Law looking so nice in his outfit upped the stakes a bit. Law was an attractive man, and that could be intimidating.

Leaving her alone to her thoughts, Law straightened, leading the way down the street to the casino. It was plainly visible from down the street, the massive neon sign above the entrance declaring it 'The Feather Flamingo' in bright pink letters. While the building certainly wasn't the tallest on the street, it was definitely the widest, taking the space of where three or four others could have been. It looked to only be two or three stories high, but still looked rather imposing.

The crew approached, seeing three sets of double doors leading inside. Unlike Law's expectations, there appeared to be no guards placed at the door. Security seemed to be lax, probably due to the fact that Meddina was a rather neutral city. As long as you had beli in your pocket and a penchant for spending it, they could care less who you were; pirate, marine, or regular citizen.

Law led everyone through the doors in the middle, entering the main lobby.

"Wow…" She cooed, looking up at the vaulted ceiling with the others, taking in the decor and atmosphere.

The walls were painted a vibrant gold, mirrors and expensive-looking artwork placed along the walls. A large chandelier hung above them, the strings of diamonds glinting off of the lights placed strategically throughout the building. Below their feet was a rich red carpeting, patterned specifically to guide you to the front reception, where they were headed now.

A brown-haired woman stood behind the counter, smartly dressed in a ruffled blouse and pencil skirt, smiled up at Law as he approached. "Welcome to The Feathered Flamingo. How can I help you?"

"We'll need these converted into chips." Law said, setting the large sack of beli onto the counter.

"Would you like the amount divided amongst you?" She asked, eyeing the large number of people he'd brought along.

"Yes. 18 ways." Law responded, leaning on the counter as he waited. The woman nodded, taking the bag and opening it, counting out the currency for how many chips they would receive. It took several minutes of counting and inputting the amount into a machine. After all the input was finished, she reached for a pile of small canvas sacks for chips. Opening the top, she held it under a small hole in the machine, pulling a lever, which in turn dispensed the chips into the bag. The flow stopped after awhile, and she tied the bag together, handing it over to Law.

"You'll go in pairs. This is all you have so use it wisely. Share." Law warned, turning to his crew as the woman continued filling bags of chips. "The night is yours, just be back to the sub by morning."

The crew began talking amongst themselves, forming into pairs and approaching Law. They would receive the bag of chips from him and then wander away to the gaming floor, quickly disappearing in the sea of people milling about inside.

As they paired and left together, the numbers standing in the lobby dwindled, until finally Shachi and Penguin received their chips, promptly fought over who would get to hold the bag and who would play first, before wandering into the sea of people. The woman bagged up one more sack of chips handing them to Law with a smile.

"Enjoy your time here." She bid him with a gracious nod, smiling as he accepted it and walked away, Lexi in tow.

"I've never gambled before." She admitted, staring around at the place. To the left of the lobby was a room with the slot machine, grouped together in fours, seemingly randomly placed around the room. To the right was where the poker tables and other card games were held. Compared to the slot room, the tables were quiet as a mouse.

"Some spend their lives trying to perfect the art of gambling, when in reality there's no trick or technique. You lose it all either way." Law explained, attaching the bag of tokens to his belt. "But before we go wasting all of this money," Law smirked, holding his elbow out for her to take, "you'll have to look the part first"

"A-ah, right…" She muttered, pursing her lips. "You know, I'm fine in just this. You don't have to go buying me a fancy dress." The brunette held up her hands in defense, not missing the raised brow.

"I'm afraid that was an order." He replied, and she sighed deeply, finally taking his arm and wandering back out of the casino and into the crowded streets. It would only make things worse the longer she argued, she knew. Though she did wonder why the pirate captain was being so generous and nice to her, suspicious as to his motives.

* * *

Lexi felt mildly uncomfortable as Law dragged her down the street in search of a clothing store. There were plenty of those around, and seeing the first one they found, Law directed her inside. The salesman inside greeted them with clasped hands and an eager smile. He looked a lot dressier than Law did, which was saying something.

"We need a dress for her." Law stated, letting go of Lexi's arm so the man could usher her away to some dressing rooms. Lexi glanced back at the pirate, half glaring half pleading for him to change his mind but his only response was an amused smirk.

If he could get a chance to see her in something similar to the dress she'd worn to the party, he'd spend as much money as was needed. He'd often thought about that outfit, feeling frustrated that she didn't have something similar in her closet now. It may come in handy down the line, anyways. Besides, they'd stockpiled quite a sum of beli from their travels and as long as they kept a certain benchmark for supplies, they really had no need of it. Why not indulge on his own fantasies once in a while? He smirked at the thought.

Law found a comfy couch to sit on as he waited for the salesman to measure her and go off in search of dresses. Draping his arms behind him, he could see Lexi's bare feet from below the fitting room door.

"Enjoying yourself?" Law couldn't help but tease, smirking when he heard her sigh.

"Oh, so much. I just  _love_  it. All alone in this tiny, cold room."

"Are you asking me to join you, Lexi-ya?" He teased, shifting in his seat to stand and approach the door. Obviously she heard him move.

"No! Don't get any ideas, pervert!"

Law chuckled. Before he could say anything else, the salesman returned with an armful of gowns, knocking on Lexi's door as he approached. She opened the door and he handed her the outfits, shutting the door behind him before scurrying off to help another customer while Lexi changed.

For the first two dresses she didn't even bother stepping out of the fitting room, much to Law's annoyance. She'd claimed they were much too tight and that she was indecent. He sighed.

"We aren't leaving until you pick something, Lexi-ya. And you can't hide in their forever. Do keep in mind you'll be wearing your choice out of the store, so I'll see it eventually." The pirate could hear her grumbling inside her changing room, but she didn't complain much more than that. Finally, for the third dress, she unlocked the door and poked her head out from inside.

"You have to promise not to laugh." She commanded with a faint blush. He raised a brow as she walked out to stand in front of the mirror.

She sported a floor length green satin gown, which looked quite good on her figure. Her face grew a deep shade of red when she glanced at the back of the dress, where a large, puffy bow was attached on the backside, right above her ass, making it look a lot larger than it was.

"It looks stupid." She crossed her arms, glaring when he smirked humorously. "Definitely not this one." And with that she turned and closed the fitting room door behind her. Law laughed under his breath, picturing her flustered face in his mind again.

Several minutes later she came back out in a fairly plain red dress, which she wasn't a huge fan of. Law wasn't impressed either, and she gave it a negative.

The salesman came back around, asking if everything were alright and Law nodded. The man assured that if they needed anything he'd be on the other side of the store helping someone else, then left.

The pirate captain crossed his legs, folding his arms in front of him as he waited. As much as this whole outing amused him, he didn't want to spend the whole time waiting on Lexi to pick a dress. The casino idea sounded rather enjoyable, despite his knowledge that the chances of winning anything were slim to none, but nonetheless a night to unwind with his crew was much needed.

"This one I actually like." Lexi called, and he heard the door unlock, before she stepped outside the door. Law's eyes widened a hint, before he composed himself.

She wore a champagne-red, short-sleeved dress. It came only to her knees, but the skirt slowed away from her body, hugging her waist, and teasing a hint of her cleavage up top. Not too much, but enough to where Law had trouble looking away. He resisted the urge to lick his lips, recalling he felt much the same way when she'd picked out the black dress from the previous party.

"Can I get this one?" She asked, viewing herself in the mirror. That genuine smile was back on her face, and he guessed that her body issues were temporarily forgotten as she saw how pretty, no, beautiful the outfit made her look. He stood, inspecting her from that height.

"As long as I get to take it off of you later." He purred quietly. He reached down and took her hand, eyes holding hers as he placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. She blushed but finally chuckled, pushing him away teasingly.

"Shut up, pervert." She murmured. The blush remained on her cheeks, however, and she couldn't seem to look him in the eye. He smirked, looking down at her bare feet.

"Perhaps some shoes for the lady?" The salesman chimed in, gaining both of their attentions and inspecting Lexi in her deep red dress. She looked to Law for confirmation and he nodded, letting the salesman drag her off towards the shoe section. She didn't look quite as uncomfortable as before, and figured that she was warming up to the idea of wearing something fancy that evening.

Fortunately for Law, as he got to see a rather delicious view of her ass when the salesman pulled her away, and he followed her with his eyes, smirking with each step she took.


	5. I'm Feeling Lucky Pt. 2

Clad in her new dress and black heels, Lexi held onto Law's arm as they made their way back to the casino. She had to focus on not tripping on the sidewalk in her shoes, all of her attention on her feet as they walked.

Law was feeling rather elated, glancing over at the attractive brunette woman holding onto him. His smirk widened, thinking about his words to her before. Oh, he could just imagine sliding the sleeves of that dress down her shoulders, her soft skin beneath his fingers…

"I can feel you staring at me, creeper." Lexi taunted, sending a smirk of her own his way. Truth be told, she didn't mind much but it was always interesting to tease the Captain. Raising a brow, he wasn't deterred by being caught.

"Simply admiring the view." He teased, and she stuck her tongue out at him, poking him in the side.

"You know if you were anyone else saying that I'd probably punch you."

"Mmm, what makes me so different?" He leaned closer, pulling on her arm so she couldn't escape. She smirked and edged closer.

"Let's put it this way. I like you enough to not worry about you trying to pull anything funny, unlike others." She glanced sideways at a man walking a little too close for her comfort. She could smell the alcohol radiating off of him as he passed, and she pressed herself closer into Law's side. "And you aren't so bad looking yourself." She added casually, sending him a grin.

"How nice of you to admit." He responded with a smirk, tucking his hands into his pants pockets as the casino drew nearer.

They walked back into the casino and past the reception, straight into slot machine room. Lexi took her time inspecting the room, eyeing the large machines, hearing the whirring of the wheels inside as patrons pulled the levers on the side, hoping for the jackpot. Dings and loud mechanical noises sounded whenever someone lost the slots. Overhead, an upbeat jazz medley played, adding even more volume to the already noisy room.

Law continued leading her through the room, eventually winding up in front of a few empty machines. She sat beside him, watching as he dug through the bag at his waist for some coins.

"Umm…I don't really know how to play." She rubbed her cheek sheepishly, feeling a bit embarrassed. Law gave her a few tokens.

"Put in the tokens and pull the lever." He instructed, leaning back in his seat as he slipped the coins into his machine.

"That's all?" She took the coins, doing as he'd said. He nodded, pulling back his machine's lever and watching as the three slots spun round and round, stopping one at a time on three different symbols. It made a losing sound, and Law repeated the process.

"Jeez, no wonder people are so addicted to gambling. It's so easy to play." She commented. Turning to her own machine, Lexi gripped the lever on the side and pulled, watching the three slots spin over and over.

"It's even easier to lose." Law agreed, watching as Lexi had similar results on her slot. Someone approached beside him and he looked up, seeing a blonde woman in a small gold dress. She held a tray of drinks.

"Care for a drink?" She offered, gaining Lexi's attention as well. Law accepted the offered beverage, giving her a few tokens in return, and Lexi leaned towards him to reach her own. The blonde nodded and wandered off to cater to other patrons.

"I could get used to a place like this." She grinned, sipping on the alcohol with a grin, placing another token in the machine and watching it spin with the lever. Law hummed in response, eyes concentrating on his machine.

Lexi pulled the lever again and leaned back, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere of the casino. Some of the people around her looked excited and as if they were having the time of their life. A few, dotted throughout the crowd, looked just plain sad. They rarely took their eyes off the machines, staring into the spinning slots as if it held the answer to some unspoken question. She frowned, wondering just how long some of the patrons had spent gambling their lives away. For more than one, that answer looked to be a rather long time.

_Ding, ding, ding, ding!_

Lexi swung her gaze to her machine, eyes widening when she saw all three symbols matched, and a bunch of lights were blinking all around the slot machine. She glanced at Law beside her, who stared up with wide eyes.

"I…I won?" She questioned, hearing the rushing sound of token flooding the bottom compartment, a transparent window there so she could watch the dozens and dozens of coins fall from the machine.

"It would seem so." Law eyed the slowly growing mountain of tokens at the bottom, grinning as he unlatched the sack from his waist. Finally, after awhile the rain of token stopped and the machine went silent again. Lexi and Law set their drinks aside and stooped to the ground, proceeding to fill the sack with their winnings.

"I thought you said you lose everything you gamble?" She chuckled, grabbing handfuls of coins and filling the sack.

"Normally, yes. But it would appear that you've got some beginner's luck. Don't get used to it though." They finished taking all the tokens, the bag much heavier than before. They stood, and Lexi grabbed her drink again.

"Should I keep playing on this machine?" He shook his head, grabbing her hand and leading her away. He could already see the envious looks of the closer patrons, watching with distaste as someone else was much luckier than they were that night.

"Slots aren't the only thing to play at a casino." He grinned, pulling her towards where he could see several members of his crew: the roulette tables.

* * *

They tried to avoid playing at the green tables that the rest of his crew were at, since they didn't want to win or lose their own crew's tokens, possibly shorting them of their own fun. Lexi and Law found a table without any nakama, and Lexi looked at the strange table in curiosity.

On one side was a large wheel with a silver knob in the middle, red and black sections alternating on the sides, while the rest of the table was filled with numbers in boxes. Patrons placed chips on different numbers, then the wheel was spun, but it all looked so confusing to her, and her confusion must have shown through, because Law chuckled beside her. He squeezed her arm, pulling her closer so she didn't bump into one of the other people.

"You wager whether the ball in the middle of the wheel will land on a specific number or colored slot." He explained, and she nodded slowly in understanding. "There's inside and outside betting too." He pointed to the part of the table with the numbered boxes, then to the part below with phrases like 'First 12' or '1 to 18.' Suddenly the seemingly simple game was all the more confusing, and she sighed at not understanding.

The dealer spun the wheel, creating a loud whirring sound as the metal ball spun around the wooden wheel. It slowly came to a stop, and those gathered around the table either fist pumped the air in victory or grumbled in defeat. Needless to say, there was a lot of grumbling.

"Hmm…what should we bet?" She asked, moving out of the way as a few people let the table to do something else. Law and Lexi stepped up in their place, and he took off the bag, setting it on the edge of the table.

"This game is yours. It's up to you." He prodded, pushing the bag towards her. Her eyes widened, feeling slightly overwhelmed with being given full control. But, it was more intimidating that she still wasn't completely clear on what to do. The dealer was staring at her in anticipation, but Lexi wasn't sure what he wanted from her. Then she noticed that new tokens were already placed on various numbers on the table.

"Your wager?" The dealer asked, prompting her to glance at Law for direction. He grinned, grabbing a few token from the bag and reaching over to place them on a few random tiles, and the dealer nodded, turning to spin the wheel.

The ball spun round and round once more, slowly coming to a stop over the number 11. Law had placed their bet on 23 and 19, so they didn't win anything. The dealer swept the board and claimed their tokens, setting up the next game.

"So, I just have to pick a number to place it on? How much do I put in?" She asked, and he grabbed a handful of token from the bag, converting them into chips with the dealer.

"It's all up to you." She still looked a little nervous, so he chuckled. "If you'd like, you can make the bets and I'll wager the chips. I'll show you outside betting after awhile."

"That would be best." She sighed in relief, not feeling quite so lost now that Law was helping.

"Which numbers are you betting on?" He asked, grabbing several more chips to use for the next game. She pursed her lips, surveying the board.

"Hmm…26." She decided, and Law set down their wager on the board. He glanced back up at the brunette, raising a brow.

"Just 26?" She nodded.

"I'm still trying to figure out how this game works, ok? I don't want to go losing all our chips before I understand the rules." He smirked but nodded in understanding. The rest of the players placed their bets across the board and the dealer spun the wheel once more.

The wheel slowed and the ball continued to roll a few more inches before slipping into the little slot numbered 26. Lexi laughed in amazement, and Law raised a brow. He hadn't been expecting that.

"We won!" She giggled as the dealer swept all the newly-won tokens their way, and she drew them closer. Law glanced between their large stack of coins and the bag, figuring that, at this rate, they couldn't hold them all in such a small thing. The other patrons were looking at their lost tokens longingly, but Lexi was having too much fun to really care at that point.

Law shook his head, taking a few to place as their next bet. Once again, he let her pick the number, and sure enough, it landed in the number 5, just as she'd picked.

"I think I'm just super lucky." She concluded, pulling in an even bigger haul towards their growing stack. Law stared at the sudden fortune before his eyes, turning slowly to Lexi as she grinned back at him. He slowly shook his head, wondering if perhaps their time at the casino would be a lot more entertaining than he'd imagined.

Smirking, he instructed her to stay at the table and continue betting if she wished. "Where are you going?" She asked, as he began to walk away.

"To get a bigger bag." And with that he walked back to reception, his excitement beginning to grow as the possibilities of winning seemed so much more attainable now with the lucky brunette around.

* * *

"I don't even understand!" Lexi giggled, pulling in their winnings for the third time in the past five hands. Law smirked, laying down his royal flush in satisfaction, feeling the dirty looks directed his and Lexi's way from the other players. He decided that perhaps it would be better to move on now, instead of calling too much attention to themselves and possibly getting kicked out for suspicions of card counting.

"Come on." After dumping their winnings in their much larger bag than before, Law rose from his seat and tugged on Lexi's arm, pulling her towards the lobby connecting the two game rooms.

"How much beli does that amount to?" She asked, pointing to their sack that looked rather heavy, if Law's grip on it was anything to go by. He shrugged.

"A lot more than what we had when we first arrived." He guessed, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. He had to admit, he was having a fun time, the lively casino atmosphere a welcome change to sitting and reading his maintenance reports and medical texts all day, and winning made it all the more fun.

"Captain! Lexi-chan!" Shachi called, waving them over to where the two engineers were sitting on a bench in the lobby. They wandered over and greeted the two friends, Lexi noticing that their bag of tokens was gone.

"Did you guys lose it all already?" She chuckled, seeing them swing bitter gazes at each other.

"It was his fault! He went all in on a game of poker!" Penguin blamed. "All he had was a pair of fives!"

"Well, he picked all the wrong numbers in Keno!" Shachi complained next, pointing at his friend bitterly. "I mean, we only got two right! And you bet almost half of our tokens for that one game!"

"You bet all in?" She asked with an exasperated shake of her head. "What happened to sharing?"

"I thought the other guy was bluffing!" Shachi defended, finally noticing the large bag of jangling coins Law carried. "C-Captain! How'd you win all of those?"

"Eh? How in the-Wha-?" Penguin joined in, causing the pirate captain to grin. He adjusted the grip on the bag, intentionally shifting the coins inside so they clanked against each other.

"Seems our newest recruit has a bit of a lucky streak." Law pulled Lexi closer, causing her to giggle. She'd had a couple of the free drinks being served and was probably a little tipsy at this point.

"I've never gambled before, so I don't really know how we're winning so much." She admitted, laughing at the incredulous expressions on the engineers' faces. The looked utterly defeated, broke and without an ounce of luck about them. Feeling bad, Lexi shook her head.

"Should we give them some more coins?" Lexi turned to Law, who's face was a little closer than what she'd imagined. Not that she minded, especially when his gaze seemed to settle onto her lips after a moment. A faint blush touched her cheeks, but Law only rolled his eyes at her question.

"No. They decided to lose it all, that's their choice. Maybe it'll teach them not to make bad bets." He nudged her in the direction of the stairs, where he knew the more sophisticated games and gamblers would be, meaning more winnings to be earned. "Try asking some of the others." He advised, smirking over his shoulder at them before ascending the stairs with the brunette in tow.

* * *

"What game is this?" Lexi questioned, spotting a bunch of long tables set up throughout the room. Men in fancy suits with flashy ladies on their arms occupied most of the tables, rolling dice across the table, tokens trading hands and clinking with every bet.

"Craps." Law said, showing her inside. "It's a bit more complicated than roulette."

While the first floor below was set up for the more casual gamblers, this one was obviously for the true risk-takers and high-class businessmen, if the smell of expensive cigars and the shifty glances of some of the men were anything to go by.

Law guided them to one of the less crowded tables, watching as a burly man in a fine dress shirt shook the dice in his hand before sending them tumbling across the green velvet table, cheering when it came out to be a winning throw. There were about five other men, some with women attached to their arms, leaning down and placing their bets. They chatted amongst themselves, all the while sipping from drinks and laughing at quiet jokes.

"Yeah, it looks more difficult." She bit her lip, unsure if she wanted to play but Law looked pretty confident in himself. None of the other games had been quite so crowded or serious-looking. Law was almost infallible however, especially with that large bag of tokens they'd won in previous games. Besides, they'd only lost a handful of their bets throughout the night. While not every hand or play was a winner, they'd obviously come out of top so far. So, he led them closer, approaching the table.

The man rolling for the previous game looked up at their arrival, eyeing Law head to toe and sparing her little more than a tiny glance for courtesy's sake. "New fish at the table?" He asked good-naturedly, grinning that crafty smile that Law himself was known for. "It's nice to see a fresh face up here every once in a while. Us regulars enjoy a bit of diversity in out opponents." Law returned the cunning gesture, setting their bag on the edge of the table beside them.

"One has to wonder how there can possibly be regulars at a casino." Law remarked, converting a fraction of their tokens into game chips with the dealer. "I would think 'new fish,' as you put it, come around all the time.  _Someone_  has to lose, after all."

"Ah, a clever fish we've got here." The bald man grinned, turning to who must have been a friend or colleague of his. "Perhaps a little too clever." The businessman's eyes darkened, recognizing a dangerous new player in their little game of dice, noting how Law's own gaze never wavered or seemed to weaken. Though, his friendly smile never seemed to fade, never stretching past his eyes.

"Shall we let the dice do the talking, then?" Law gestured to the table, where the dealer waited for them to place their bets. The man's friend grinned around a lit cigar, the smoke drifting lazily in the air. Lexi crinkled her nose at the smell from the other side of the table. Her confusion was just as strong as her curiosity, but feeling Law tense up at the other men standing around the table, she could tell that the atmosphere had changed drastically from other tables they'd played downstairs. Suddenly everything felt like there was more weight in their actions and words.

The bald man took a silent moment to simply study Law, and his cocky grin, placing his chips on the Pass Line. Giving a small, humorless laugh, the man finally picked up his dice again, rolling them in his palms. "Yes, I believe we will."

And so saying, he tossed the dice across the board. They bounced against the opposite wall, between two other businessmen, finally landing a few inches apart.

"11. Pay the line." The dealer said, using a long stick to drag the dice back over to the bald man. Lexi watched in fascination as chips were dealt out and taken away from various players at the table. She was still overall confused on how it worked, and felt too intimidated to ask her Captain what was going on.

Law, on the one hand, was glad she kept her silence. These men were a different sort of crowd from those downstairs, though he wasn't too bothered by that. In fact, it only made the game more interesting. But, if it looked like she or either of them had no idea what they were doing, or showed weakness, they'd lose credibility. Similar to the battlefield, he thought with a small grin. He added a few more chips on a come bet, which Lexi had no clue as to what that meant.

The bald man kept tossing the dice, rolling numerous numbers like 5, or 8, and a few 6's. Throughout the game, Law kept stacking the odds on his 6 bet, which had been moved from the come bet originally. They had a few chips on 4 and 8 as well, all of which had paid off at some point during the man's rolling. Overall Law was betting wisely, by the looks of it.

"At least you don't go all in." The man chuckled, tossing the dice another time. "Cuts the game short, ruins all the fun."

"Mmm." Law hummed, raising a brow as the man added more on a come bet.

"Played a game of poker earlier with a few new fish," He continued, grinning as they all placed their chips, "Poor souls need to learn a thing or two about betting, I'm afraid. Went all in on only the second hand."

Lexi's eyebrows raised, and both the Heart Pirates figured that Shachi and Penguin had been the ones the man now talked about. So, he'd been the one to win their chips. Law only tilted his head curiously.

She wondered why her Captain simply didn't bet on everything, putting chips on every tile, though the concept of the game was still lost on her, so she assumed that Law knew what he was doing and didn't say anything.

Finally, the man rolled a 7, and many at the table grumbled, though Law simply straightened up, watching as the table was cleared of all bets. The bald man grinned again, leaning on his elbows.

"The best of luck to you." He commented, but Lexi could hear the hint of sarcasm underlying his words. He seemed rather confident that his skill or luck was a lot better than Law's.

"I won't be needing it." The pirate captain replied, placing his bet on the Pass Line once more and receiving the dice from the dealer. But, instead of tossing them across the board as the bald man had, he turned to Lexi, handing them to her.

"It's your game." He replied, seeing the confusion in her eyes. She gingerly took the dice, and the man beside them chuckled.

"Ah, a lady's touch to do the trick, I see? A wise man." He chuckled, as did several other men at the table. Lexi could only see them as his cronies. Ignoring them, Law gave Lexi a confident smirk, nodding towards the table. Releasing the small breath she'd been holding, she shook the dice in her hand and tossed them towards the other side. They rattled as they bounced, before landing on 7."

"Winner. 11." The dealer said, gathering up the dice with his long, curved stick. Lexi smiled, the dealer sending the dice her way once more. Smiling at Law, she shook them and threw them away again.

"Winner. 7."

"My, my. A lady of luck if I ever saw one." The bald man smirked, finally seeming to look at her fully now. And by fully, she really meant head to toe in a new, interested light. A creepily interested way. Unfortunately. Hiding her grimace, Lexi retrieved the dice and turned to Law.

"Again?" She asked, and he nodded, placing a few more chips on the board. Once all the bets were placed, she tossed the dice again.

"Point is now 4." The dealer said, seeing the double set of 2's Lexi had rolled. This prompted the men standing around the table to place more bets extensively, and she looked to Law again, watching him smirk in that cunning fashion. Apparently she hadn't done anything wrong, or lost completely, so she was given the dice again, and she focused on just continuing to roll.

* * *

Law and Lexi were having the same luck as before, and she rolled many sets before finally rolling her fatal 7. They'd wracked in a steady amount of chips, putting a slight dent in the pile of the bald man's stack. They were about to start the next round, with another of the businessmen as the next shooter, but a commotion at the entrance drew all of their attentions.

Shachi and Penguin were talking to one of the security guards by the entrance, pointing towards the tables animatedly as they argued. They were too far away to hear the conversation, but Law sighed deeply, figuring that he'd have to intervene before the two got kicked out.

"Stay here." He instructed her, brushing past her arm as he left the table. Lexi watched Law head towards the commotion, finally turning back to the table with a nervous glance. The bald man chuckled a little, placing his chips on the table. He seemed to find a new interest in the brunette and began directing an onslaught of questions and statements towards her.

"My dear, have you always had that lucky streak about you?" He asked with a grin, stirring his drink around with a cocked eyebrow. Unsure of what to do exactly, Lexi placed a few chips on the Pass Line, figuring that they might as well put in for this next round while Law was away. She'd watched him start there most of the time anyways.

"Ah, I wouldn't say so." She answered, feeling uncomfortable in all his attention. He chuckled again, waving a cocktail waitress over.

"Well, it appears that tonight is certainly your night then." The waitress approached, holding her tray of drinks. The man took two off the tray and his friend tipped the woman, prompting her to leave once more. The bald man brought one to his lips and offered her the other, hesitating a moment. "Ah, my apologies. I haven't even introduced myself. I am Vincent Armone. Please, have a drink. Relax and enjoy the game."

He smiled, a small attempt to disarm all of her sudden uneasiness, and she reluctantly accepted. She didn't know quite what to expect from the normal casino atmosphere or what would be rude, and just from Law's handling of the situation so far, she didn't want to anger any of these men without him around especially. Deciding to play the part, she gave a wavering grin in return.

"Lexi." She responded, taking a small sip of the drink. She saw no reason not to. It wasn't as if he could drug it in the space of a few seconds. She'd had her eyes on him the whole time and saw nothing suspicious.

"Lexi." He tested out the name, savoring the bitter taste of his alcohol. "How lovely."

"T-thanks." She responded, glancing over to the entrance where Law was talking to the two engineers and the security guard, hopefully smoothing the situation over. The brunette just wished he'd come back soon.

* * *

"What seems to be the problem here?" Law asked, approaching his two engineers and the security guard. Shachi and Penguin looked up, eyes widening upon seeing their Captain.

"You know these two?" The security guard stuck a thumb in their direction.

"Unfortunately, yes." He grumbled, turning to his crew members. "What is going on?"

"We just wanted to play some craps, but he won't let us in." The guard gave them a withering look.

"The upper floors are for our more distinguished patrons,  _not_  casual players. Our regulars are very particular about the kind of crowd they prefer to-"

"So what? We should get a chance to play. We're paying customers." Shachi defended, crossing his arms. Law rolled his eyes, wondering how on earth these two ever accomplished anything ever. The guard scoffed at his comments.

"We've already had to remove you from several different tables on the first floor. I'm not allowing you to enter." He demanded, standing to block their entrance.

"Come on! Captain, tell him we'll behave." Penguin turned to their leader, who cocked a brow in irritation.

"Even I have no guarantee you'll remain civil. Perhaps it would be better if you called it a night." Penguin and Shachi sighed deeply.

"We just wanted to play some of the better games. Some of the others gave us more chips so we could play." Law shook his head, pointing out into the hall again.

"Go downstairs and join the others there. Perhaps you can come away with a few more tokens when all is said and done." Law smirked. "Or cut your losses and return to the sub. Make your choice."

Grumbling that people were unfair, the two pirates picked themselves up and trudged back down the hallway to the stairs, hands stuffed in their pockets. They glanced back at their Captain a few times, maybe to judge if he'd stop paying attention so they could sneak inside, but he simply stood there until they were out of sight, sighing once they'd disappeared around the corner.

The security guard nodded to Law and returned to his post against the wall. Law turned and went to head back towards the game table, frowning when he saw the bald man wrapping an arm around Lexi, laughing with a crinkle in his eye. His own eyes narrowed angrily.

A growl threatened at the back of his throat, his blood boiling. Oh, hell no. Seeing him touching her like that, leaning closer to whisper in her ear, gently stroking her shoulder with his thumb as he gave her a drink, sent a wave of anger and something a bit more menacing through him. Resisting the urge to grab the nearest sharp object and slice a few heads, he quickened his pace back to the table.

* * *

"You know, Lexi. You certainly have a knack for the game, I'll tell you that." Vincent continued, laying down a new set of chips as the dice had been rolled. Lexi did the same, placing a few more in the Come Bet zone, still slightly clueless as to what it meant. "You strike me as the type of woman who'd fit in well with this kind of lifestyle."

"How do you mean, exactly?" Lexi quirked one eyebrow. Vincent swept his arm across the room, indicating the rest of the patrons inside.

"Oh, come now. You can't tell me that this-the drinks, the music, fancy dresses, money on the line-doesn't inspire you? This city would be your playground, never a moment of boredom. Surely you could imagine wearing a new, dazzling dress every night, hanging on the arms of millionaires and handsome faces." As if to prove his point, he brushed a hand over the strap of her dress, shocking her into stillness. Lexi shook her head slowly.

"I don't-"

"Ah, I know what you must be thinking right now. 'That's little more than a fantasy.' But I'll say this. Roll with the right people," He smirked, sauntering a little closer and resting an arm around her slender shoulder, "and any fantasy can be made true. A lucky girl like you would enjoy it." He chuckled then, his hot breath against her ear sent a shiver down her spine, but not in the good way. She tried to step away. Vincent simply held her tighter, his face turned to hers in a cunning grin.

"How kind of you to offer, but I believe Lexi-ya has other obligations and must, regrettably, decline." A voice said behind her, shoving Vincent's arm off of her shoulder. Startled, Lexi felt another wrap around her waist and pull her the opposite direction into Law's side. She looked up to his face, watching in strange satisfaction as he sent a furious glare Vincent's way. Feeling the warmth of Law's chest on her back, she relaxed in his grip, that sense of safety returning.

Law stared at the businessman with clear venom, sending the message of 'Touch her again and you won't have hands to do it again.' Surprise flashed across the man's eyes, then a deep intelligence, as if wondering how he could come out on top with the situation, then a cool acceptance, after a brief glance at Lexi, who hung tightly onto Law's arm. She clearly gave no thought to Vincent's previous offer, much to his chagrin. She was a lucky one, a pretty face, and perhaps a good laugh. But no matter. She was clearly very loyal to this man. His fancy words would have no effect, that much was evident.

The pirate made it perfectly clear that he wouldn't be tolerating any other advances to his companion that night, practically baring his teeth at the man beside them. The rest of the players watched on with cautious amusement. He was willing to bet they were all somehow connected, whether by their wallets or loyalty, to the powerful man.

The businessman straightened, taking calculated sips from his drink. Lexi felt Law's arm tighten around her, pulling her to his other side, keeping her as far away from the man as possible.

"A shame." Vincent finally said. "I was sure that Lexi here would have enjoyed the thrill of the high life."

Law didn't bother to grace his implication with an answer, instead pulling his earned chips towards him, glancing at Lexi. She saw the obvious question in his eyes, whether she wanted to stay or not, and looking around at the others, feeling their beady eyes staring at her, and the uncomfortable aura from Vincent still radiating off of him, she found that it was too tense and uncomfortable to stay there any longer. She shook her head, glancing towards the door.

Nodding, Law tapped the table, indicating to the dealer that he was done. Grabbing his chips, he replaced them into his bag, though Vincent's chuckle made his pause only a moment.

"Leaving already? I dearly hoped we haven't offended you in any way. It was never my intention." He grinned, finishing off the last of his drink with an 'Aah.'

Law, gaining his calm and collected composure once more, smirked back. Only this one held less amusement, hiding his ever-present fury at having  _his_  woman touched and tempted by some stranger. "I'm afraid I've simply never been one to gamble away all my riches. Better to stop while you're ahead."

"A wise practice." Vincent practically purred, inclining his head towards the pirate. "Perhaps another time, we'll resume this little game of ours." The bald man gave a small glance in Lexi's direction, and she wasn't sure whether his definition meant the game of dice or herself specifically. Law seemed to pick up his implication as well, the smile fading from his lips.

"Perhaps not." Law concluded, gently pulling her by the arm and leading her away toward the entrance. Knowing how these powerful business figures tended to work, he was expecting to be stopped as they tried to leave, armed guards prodding them back to the table. But, no such thing happened. Without looking back, the Captain slung the bag over his shoulder and exited the room, Lexi in tow.

* * *

Once they were walking out of the lobby after exchanging their chips for beli, Lexi thought over the situation and began to giggle, the alcohol making her body feel rather fuzzy. Law glanced at the tipsy brunette with a raised brow. "You were jealous." She finally said, poking him in the side with one finger.

"Jealous? Of what exactly?"

"Hehe, you didn't like him touching me, did you? Got all protective there." She smirked, pushing the door open as they left the building, rather elated at the prospect of him feeling that way. "I saw it in your face."

Rather than deny it or tease her, as she expected him to do, Law grabbed her by the shoulders and pressed her back against the front wall of the casino, the sounds of the city around them as people passed by. Eyes wide, she looked up at the pirate, an amused smirk inches from her face.

"Unsurprisingly, I  _don't_  like sharing." He growled low under his breath, staring into her green eyes. Her slightly intoxicated mind had a little trouble catching up, but she grinned after a moment, the mischief dancing in her glazed eyes.

"So…then I'm yours, huh?" Her eyes conveyed the teasing, yet seriously curious intentions behind the question. Law leaned closer so his lips ghosted against hers, their breaths mingling. Her eyes closed involuntarily, anticipating the gentle pressure of his kiss. He chuckled at her response, but his voice came out as a heated whisper.

" _Mine_."

Lexi pressed her lips to his, and he chuckled again, feeling her hands snake around to his back, pulling him closer. Moving one hand to cradle her cheek, he leaned down to deepen their kiss, their hearts beating rapidly against their chests.

Law's other hand trailed along her shoulder to her exposed collar bone, gliding gently to her chest and down the valley of her breasts. Lexi gasped, shivering at the sensation, and he broke off the kiss with a grin. Her eyes opened at the sound, and he leaned in closer to her ear.

"Don't think I've forgotten my conditions for buying you that dress." He muttered, seeing her eyes widen a fraction as she remembered what he'd said. "As much as I'd love to strip you right here and now, it would probably be better if we returned to the sub."

Lexi bit her lip, a grin lighting up her face. She nodded, leaning forward to steal another kiss with a giggle. Stealing a few more, she grabbed his hand and jogged back towards the direction of the sub, their pockets full of beli from a lucky night of gambling.


	6. Price On Your Head

It was after Law raided a Marine base that it happened. Honestly, Lexi should have been expecting it, she supposed, but it just never really came to mind.

It was a new morning, a few days after Law had attacked the base on the small island. She wasn't sure how to really feel about the whole operation to begin with, but Law was her Captain and she knew he hated the Marines with every fiber of his being. Most pirates did. Still, when he'd brought up his plan to further their reputation by attacking in the first place, she remained quiet. Thankfully, Lexi was still learning how to fight, and wasn't expected to partake in any actual combat yet.

Instead, her role would be to help the medics treat any of their wounded afterwards. This suited her just fine, as she wasn't sure how she'd fare in this world. Nevertheless, she'd been forced to leave the relative safety of the submarine when the base received unexpected reinforcements. Law hadn't anticipated a nearby warship to appear, and it had put a dent in his supposedly infallible plan.

Lexi and one other medic were instructed to bring those who were no longer able to fight back onboard, even with battle still waging around them. Despite her initial fear, she was glad that Law was beginning to rely on her help with more important roles as time went on. Sure, it may seem small in comparison to the amount of work others did, but it was better than simply cleaning up tools after a surgery.

Thankfully, they hadn't taken too many casualties, and those that were injured had been helped into the infirmary by their nakama, lain on cots and given basic treatment before more intricate work could be done.

Law had returned from the battle covered in dirt and a few cuts to his body. He seemed to ignore his own wounded state while he helped his crew, prompted to wash and bandage his wounds only after Lexi pointed out that it could cause infection to others.

After everyone had been taken care of, the navigators had taken the submarine to safety, submerging below the ocean and away from the ruined base. Law had been sure to leave many survivors to tell about what had happened, in an attempt to further his own bounty.

Now, a few days later, Lexi was enjoying breakfast beside her Captain and Bepo, one of her many textbooks in front of her as she flicked through the pages. Unbeknownst to her, Law watched her with intrigue.

A crew member approached, holding that days newspaper. "Captain, the News Coo just arrived."

"Thank you." He replied, taking the offered papers. Sipping from his steaming mug of coffee, Law inspected the latest news without much interest. Nothing new seemed to be happening as of late. Moving past the main articles, he skipped to the bounties section, where his was yet again amongst the regulars to be featured on the page. Smirking, he was glad to see the number had gone up by at least ten thousand beli. Good, his efforts weren't in vain.

Law's gaze drifted through the others out of boredom, before lighting on a particular one that caught his interest. Smirking, he folded the paper and nudged the brunette sitting beside him.

"Hmm?" She questioned, leaning over to see what he was showing her. Spotting her own face on the wanted poster, her eyes widened. "Eh!? When did they take that?"

"Most likely at the marine base we attacked. You were outside helping bring injured inside." He tapped the beli amount on the bottom. "It's unsurprising that it's such a low number, considering you haven't shown any public aggression."

She snatched the paper out of his hands and stared at her picture. She was kneeling on the ground besides a person, though their face was obscured so she couldn't tell who.

"I'm a criminal now!?" She asked no one in particular. Law only chuckled, watching her face morph from shock to worry, to curiosity, then to fear. "Does that mean someone's gonna be hunting me?"

"For a bounty as low as that, I highly doubt it." He replied.

Somehow, they'd learned her name, because it was printed on the paper. Below all of that was the number 50,000. She cocked her head, not really sure how low that was to be considered.

"Well, what's your bounty? I don't know what's high or low."

Smirk still in place, Law leaned forward and pointed at his own poster, and Lexi gripped the paper a little tighter. "What!? How is it that high!?" Compared to her measly bounty, she couldn't imagine something as high as what Law's was. In her world, bounties weren't more than a few tens of thousands of dollars, right? How dangerous was Law to warrant the hundreds of  _millions_  of currency on his head?

"Let's just say I've got quite the reputation." He chuckled, amused at her reaction. He watched as her expression of shock turned into a small pout, placing the paper on the table and leaning against it on one hand.

"For my first bounty, I was hoping for a bit more than that." He heard her grumble.

"Hmm." He hummed, leaning towards her face. He nudged her chin up with his hand, causing her to look into his eyes. "I'm sure your time with us will increase its worth. Give it time."

Bepo, who was seated next to them but still too far away to hear their whispered conversation, reached for the paper, looking at what was so interesting. His Captain's bounty had increased, but that was no surprise. Eyes scanning the rest of the page, he found Lexi's picture and then the amount they'd pinned to her.

With a loud sigh, he slumped in his seat, an aura of sadness overcoming him. Lexi looked over, alarmed at the sudden shift in Bepo's attitude. "Hey, what's wrong? Is everything ok?"

"It's not fair…" He mumbled, getting up and leaving the table. Lexi, horrified that she'd done something to upset the bear, started to rise out of her seat, but was brought back down by Law's hand at her wrist.

"Leave him, he'll get over it soon enough." He chuckled, meeting her worried face.

"What was that about though?"

"Bepo's always been a little…sensitive about his low bounty. It's only 500 beli, even though he's been in the crew perhaps the longest. Apparently, the World Government believe him to be a pet."

Lexi frowned, watching the bear exit the room, feeling bad that her bounty was more than his, even after so many years of trying. She couldn't help but smile a little at his dejected state, however.

Even when he was sad, he was so freakin' cute!


	7. It's a Long Story

Lexi leaned on the metal railing of the sub, her head nestled on her crossed arms. It was a bright, windy morning, and she was fortunate enough to be spending it with the first mate, Bepo. The polar bear held a fishing pole in his hand, eagerly scanning the water for any sign of fish. They were due to arrive at the next island any time now, and Bepo wanted to get in some fishing in before they bought their food supplies.

The blue water lapped against the sides of the metal vessel down below, and she watched them crash and then recede, only for the next wave to follow. Truth be told, she was a little bored of just sitting there, but Law had insisted she take a break from studying to prevent burnout and exhaustion.

Sighing deeply, Lexi stretched her back. It popped and cracked, and she groaned in pleasure. "I don't understand how you can sit there for so long and just fish. You've been at it for like 2 hours. What time did you wake up anyways?"

The bear shrugged. "About 5:30."

"That's way too early to be doing anything." She grumped, peering out over the horizon to try to spot the next island. There was a mass of clouds low in the sky in the general direction of where they were heading, so she assumed they'd hit a storm before too long.

Lexi, still tired from being up even this early, leaned against Bepo sleepily, smiling as her face rubbed against his thick fur. He was really warm and soft, and she snuggled the first mate unashamedly. Bepo didn't seem to mind either, as he made no move to push her away.

"I'm used to waking up pretty early. Jean Bart and I switch shifts. He navigates at night and I take the day, mostly." He explained, content to sit there and talk with the brunette. He liked Lexi. When they'd been in her world, she'd given him fish, and she was nice. Plus, she always smelled sort of like Captain. That was a plus.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not a navigator then. I'll stick with being a medic." She grinned, watching as Bepo's pole began moving. She pulled away a little, so he wasn't so he wasn't so crowded. "Looks like you've got a bite!"

"Dinner, come to me!" He cried, yanking on the pole and reeling it in. The fish below the waves put up quite a fight, but Bepo was skilled in the art of fishing. No surprise there. Within minutes, he had a large green-scaled fish flopping on the deck. Looking rather proud, Bepo grabbed his catch and began walking towards the entrance doors.

"I'm gonna bring this to the kitchen, ok?" Lexi nodded and the polar bear bounded into the submarine. She laughed, shaking her head. Boy, what a life she led now, fishing off the side of yellow submarines with jumpsuit-clad polar bears. But she wouldn't have it any other way.

With another glance at the quickly-approaching clouds, Lexi followed the bear and closed the door.

* * *

"We're due to land on the island in about half an hour." Law explained, accompanying Lexi to one of the storerooms for cargo. The holds were on the lower decks, large double doors leading into the spacious rooms. "This is where we store our supplies. Basically, anything that isn't food, medicine, or treasure goes in here. But for what you'll be doing you won't be down here."

The brunette walked beside the Captain, stopping when he faced one of the doors, showing her the inside. "What am I going to do?" She'd been on the sub for awhile now, but hadn't participated in supply runs after landing before. Luckily, she was able to convince Law to let her help this time around. In response, he was showing her where all the cargo was kept, the whole reason for this trip below the decks.

"You'll accompany Bepo in finding food supplies." He opened the door and flipped the lights, stepping into the mostly empty room. Being at sea for several weeks had put a dent in their cargo onboard. "You'll need to visit with the chef and get a list of what he needs."

"Got it. Is that all?" Law nodded.

"And Lexi?" He added, stopping her from leaving. She turned back, raising her brows for him to continue. He smirked in response. "Refrain from getting into trouble."

"Pff. What makes you think I'm gonna cause trouble? It's this crew that crazy." And with that she exited the storage room, making her way up to the kitchen to find the chef. Law only smirked, turning to the remaining cargo to take inventory.

* * *

"What does the list say?" Bepo asked, walking with the brunette down the main street of the town. Others from the crew were scattered in the crowd, entering stores and negotiating with market vendors. Lexi looked down at the piece of paper that the chef had given her and pursed her lips.

"Looks like we need to get the basics, like sugar and flour. Fruits, vegetables, various cuts of meat, and fish."

Bepo's ears perked up. "Fish?"

Lexi grinned. "Yeah, fish. But just try not to eat them all before we get back to the submarine." She teased. Looking around, she saw a lot of fish stalls lining the docks, fishermen displaying their catches on buckets of ice. "Wow, there's a lot of stalls around here."

Bepo nodded, leading them towards a general store, where they might be able to find the basic necessities. "Laguna Cove is a large market hub. Several nearby islands all converge and sell their goods here. They all profit from the mutual trading."

"Hmm." She hummed, intrigued by the diplomacy of the island. People thought very differently from her world.

"And the best part? This island in particular is known for it's many species of fish!" He replied happily. "We should have a lot to choose from!"

Lexi laughed, pushing through into the store to buy the supplies. She hadn't seen Bepo so excited about something before. It made him look even more adorable.

Law had left them with a wad of beli to use, ensuring they could purchase all that was needed. Patting her pocket to make sure it was still there, Lexi opened the door and lead them both inside.

* * *

"Are you sure you can carry all of that?" Lexi raised a brow at the polar bear, watching him teeter back and forth to keep balance. His arms were loaded with a handful of paper bags, filled to the brim with food they'd purchased.

"I've got it!" He shuffled his hands, trying to get a better grip on the bags. Lexi, who was already carrying two bags of her own, winced as one almost fell. Luckily, Bepo was able to recover and tuck it beneath his arm.

"Let's get all of this back to the sub before you fall over or trip." She chuckled, directing them back to the submarine.

* * *

After dropping off the items they'd bought so far, Lexi and Bepo returned to the city and began checking off the list.

"Ok. So I think we got enough fruits and vegetables. And we got the sugar." She crossed off the listed items with her pencil, narrowing down what left they had to get. "That leaves the milk, eggs, and fish. Oh, and he said that if we could find any spices around to get those too." Deftly she wrote 'spices' in the line below fish, so they wouldn't forget.

"Should we get the fish now?" She grinned, looking up to the antsy polar bear. Every time they passed the docks he made sure to take a long sniff of the air, probably trying to discern what fish they had to offer and which ones he wanted.

"No, we'll save it for last!" He replied with excitement.

They continued down the road, chatting about miscellaneous things, when Bepo stopped to sniff the air. Frowning, he lifted his nose higher, moving his head this way and that.

"Huh? What do you smell, Bepo?"

"I think…" He sniffed a few more times just to be sure. "I think it's another polar bear."

"Really? But, why would a polar be on this island?" She looked around the crowd, seeing if she could spot this supposed other bear, but saw nothing. The question went unanswered, as Bepo began walking with a purpose up the road and away from the docks.

"Hey, wait up!" She called, trying her best to catch up to him.

* * *

Bepo's nose took them past the main part of the city and towards the mountainous regions of the island. Thick forests edged the bases, and it was into one of these that Lexi noticed they were heading.

"Umm, Bepo? Are you sure it's a polar bear? This doesn't look like where one would be…" Her voice trailed off, spotting a crude trail running through the trees deeper into the forest.

"I'm sure of it." The confidence in his voice was unwavering. Lexi sighed, still following her companion as he led them into the trees. She spared a glance at the unfinished shopping list, hoping that Law wouldn't find out about their impromptu hike through the wilderness. He'd already told her to keep out of trouble. Did this count?

Bepo weaved through the thick trees, following the dirt trail.

Up ahead, they could see a grassy clearing, tree leaves scattered on the ground in a sort of mat. They were thick. Obviously no one had been here for awhile. Bepo continued towards it, frowning in concentration as he followed the scent. Lexi, a little ways behind him, felt something tugging on her shirt sleeve.

"Dammit…" She muttered, turning to see a spiky branch had snagged her shirt. The little barbs had dug and tangled into the fabric, and no matter how much she pulled it wouldn't seem to release her.

"Come on!" She whispered, yanking it over and over again but it only served to rattle the bush. She sighed deeply, stuffing the list into her pocket before grabbing onto it with both hands, trying once more to free herself.

With one last alright tug, she was able to remove the offending branch, and it bounced back to it's original position. Unfortunately, it took a small scrap of the sleeve with it. She looked down, seeing the small hole.

Rolling her eyes, she decided to ignore it for now. There wasn't much she could do at the moment anyways. Looking ahead, she could see Bepo standing in the clearing, sniffing the air.

"Bepo." She called quietly. The first mate was acting a little strange. He stood in place and sniffed the air, frowning.

The next moment, Lexi was shocked into silence when a huge net pulled itself from underneath the blanket of leaves. Bepo, standing in the middle, flailed around and cried out as the netting wrapped around him and lifted him up into the air, cinching at the top and closing off any exit. She gasped and her hands flew to her mouth, but couldn't seem to form any words. Her moment of hesitation served to prove unfortunate. Not even a moment later, a swarm of men entered the clearing from all sides, brandishing tools of all sorts.

Lexi jumped out of the path and behind the closest tree, peering around the side to watch as her companion struggled to free himself from the net. It seemed to be double layered, making it especially tough to remove and find purchase. Her heart sank, knowing that with as many people as there were, she had no hope of trying to fend them off by herself.

The men, dressed in various animal skins and brown boots, began laughing, gazing up at the thrashing Bepo.

"Looks like that polar bear pheromone shit did it's job! Didn't think it would work, seeing as it's an off market mix."

Lexi's eyes widened, realizing that Bepo had simply been following a false scent. With that admission, she gazed in fear at who these people were. They were trappers. No doubt hunting Bepo for his pelt.

"Let me down!" Bepo called, trying to kick and chop his way through the ropes, but they were sturdy and he couldn't muster enough force from his position to do any damage. The trappers fell silent, staring up at the bear in wonder.

"Did it just talk?"

"A talking polar bear!"

"That's a first!"

"I bet we could auction him off for more money than his pelt's worth!"

They all seemed to agree, because they continued to laugh and converse amongst themselves. Finally, after awhile, they began to lower him down, holding up a muzzle and strange syringe-looking devices in ready. Tranquilizers, she realized with a sinking heart.

"Ready boys?" One called, cutting the rope secured to a nearby tree, dropping the net the rest of the way. Immediately, Bepo began trying to free his limbs from the contraption, but the trappers were on him in seconds, piling on top of him to secure the muzzle, covering his paws with thick leather pouches so he couldn't scratch them. Bepo put up a good fight, but it was obvious that he was outmatched by the ten-or-so men trying to restrain him.

The men with syringes plunged the needles into his neck, and his movement slowly began to decrease.

"Jeez, not planning to kill him are you? How much juice are in those things?" One of them laughed.

"These aren't the strong doses. Just enough to get him to camp and in the cage. After that, we want him awake for the auction."

"Lexi…Run…" Bepo was able to say, loud enough for her to hear. On the verge of tears, Lexi could only watch as they finished tying the limp bear up so he couldn't move even if he did wake up, attaching ropes to his body, before finally pulling him down another trail. They slowly disappeared from view, and Lexi was left breathing fast behind her tree.

"Oh my god…" She whispered to herself, trying to figure out what to do now. The most sensible option would be to go and find the Captain, telling him what happened, but who knew where Bepo would be by then? Even if she called in the reinforcements, the first mate could be hauled off to God know's where, someplace they could never find?

Shaking the nerves away, she slowly crept out from her vantage point and followed where they took her.

* * *

Lexi made sure to trail the group of trappers at a reasonable distance, though always keeping them within sight or earshot from the trees. They didn't seem too concerned with being followed, as they tromped through the forest at full volume, talking and laughing.

Bepo was being rudely dragged along the ground, his boiler suit getting dirt and branches all over it it. How dare they hurt her friend this way, she thought, clenching her fist bitterly every time his body was mishandled or roughly dragged over rocks. It took everything in her not to scream at them to stop, but being captured herself would only makes things worse. And who knew what could happen to her?

Eventually, they came out of the trees and back out into the open sun. A large meadow, set right up against one of the mountains. In the center was a camp, tents for each man set up for sleeping. Cages of various sizes were at the edge, some empty, and others with small or medium animals inside. Even from the tree line, where Lexi was forced to stop following them, she could see animal pelt hanging from a long wire at the other side of the camp.

She watched in disgust as they dragged the unconscious bear towards the largest of the cages, gathering up the ropes and maneuvering him inside. They took off the longest of the ropes, which they'd used to drag him, and coiled them up in a pile beside one of the tents.

"I'm starving! Where's the grub?" One demanded, and they all began to pile up around the center of the camp, lounging on chairs and grabbing drinks.

Lexi sat on the ground at the tree line, watching them as they ate their lunch. Well, now that she thought about it, the sun was high up in the middle of the sky. It had probably been at least an hour since Bepo and her had dropped off the food from before. It might be too soon for the crew to be worrying about their whereabouts.

Now would probably be the time to go run for the crew for help, to go find the Captain, but she was afraid that once she left, she'd never find this place again. Or, they'd already bring Bepo to whatever auction they were talking about previously. She'd hate herself immensely if Bepo was killed or kidnapped while she wasn't there. Quite a dilemma, indeed.

Sighing deeply, Lexi propped her back up against a tree and waited, crossing her arms. Her brow was furrowed as she watched her unconscious companion in the cage.

 _'Please wake up soon.'_  She thought.  _'Please be ok.'_

* * *

Finally, after something close to an hour or so of sitting there and watching the camp, something seemed to change. The men had been lounging around all this time, but now they seemed to be gathering up their things from the camp. Lexi was too far away to hear what they were saying, but they gestured to the forest around them, and she assumed they were going out hunting again.

Returning to the pile of ropes previously discarded, they all gathered them up and attached them to their belts. All but one. Frowning, Lexi watched as one man sat back down in the camp, taking off his hat and placing it on the ground beside him. It appeared that one was staying behind to watch the cages. Or something along those lines.

"Dammit…" She muttered. Just great. Things couldn't have been that easy. She needed to get Bepo out of that cage, but with that guy around she'd have to take him out first. Moving her hand to her hip, she touched the hilt of the dagger that Law had bought her soon after she joined the crew.

 _'You can't always rely on us to protect you, and it may come in useful one day.'_  He'd said. His words were true, but she wasn't sure how ready she was to straight up kill a man. Her moral compass was still pointing north, and that didn't sit well with her. Rendering him unconscious, however, was fine by her.

She same a few more ropes in the pile and figured that perhaps she could use it to her advantage. Law had taught her a few techniques to attack and defend when you didn't have much of a weapon. Hopefully it would serve her well here.

The group of men began walking towards the trail by her, and she rose to a crouch, moving deeper into the trees so they wouldn't see her.

After several minutes, the trappers passed her by obliviously, talking and laughing amongst themselves. Another few minutes later, and she could no longer hear them in the trees. Returning to her original place on the tree line, she watched the camp once more.

The lone trapper walked into the nearest tent. She watched for several minutes, wondering if he was going to sleep. Just as she was about to rise and walk towards it, he emerged from the flaps, stretching out his limbs. Irritated, she watched him lay back on the ground in front of their fire pit.

It took another half hour of sitting impatiently for Lexi to be sure the man was asleep. Or, at least, she hoped he was. She couldn't really sit there much longer comfortably. Her friend was trapped in a cage, still unconscious, and she was just watching. It was maddening.

Working up her courage, she rose from her sitting position and began moving towards the camp. The grass beneath her feet was soft, giving her silent footfalls as she approached. The man still lay on the ground, and the closer she got, the more she could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

Lexi's eyes stayed glued to the sleeping man, terrified that he'd wake up at any moment. Now, the brunette was close enough to hear him snoring softly. Approaching the camp, she hid behind one of the tents, peering around the flap. Looking towards Bepo's cage, she saw a large padlock on the door. It had a keyhole, meaning it had a key. Great. Now she'd have to go on a scavenger hunt to find it.

A scuffling sound brought her attention to the bear in the cage. His head moved, paws clenching and unclenching as he slowly came back into consciousness. She smiled, thankful that he was at least alright.

Bepo raised his head, propping himself up with his bag-covered paws, trying to figure out where he was with bleary eyes. Keeping an eye on the trapper, Lexi emerged from her position behind the tent and approached his cage.

"Lexi-" The first mate started to say, but she held up a finger to her mouth.

"Shh!" Lexi gestured to the trapper, muttering in his sleep. Bepo finally nodded, eyes still a little bleary from the tranquilizer. "Give me your paws to I can get those off. I'm gonna get you out of here, ok?"

"How?" His voice, even in a whisper, sounded thick, as if each word was difficult to form. She untied the string holding the bags to his paws, tugging them off and tossing them to the side.

"Umm…I'm still working on that part." She admitted, proceeding to rid him of the rest of the bags, plus the muzzle covering his face. As soon as the leather and metal headpiece was removed, Bepo rolled his neck in relief.

"The padlock needs a key, so I have to find that first. But before anything else, I need to get rid of him." She struck a thumb over her shoulder as the trapper let out a particularly loud snore.

"Ok, be careful, Lexi."

Smiling, hoping to show him a confidence she didn't feel, she reached through the metal bars to stroke his cheek affectionately. "Don't you worry. We'll be back to the town and buying all the fish you want in no time."

Rising, she searched around the area for anything that might incapacitate the sleeping man. Her eyes settled on the rope in the pile. A thought struck her.

"Bepo, when I give you the signal, I'm gonna need you to cause a distraction, ok? Make sure he walks over towards the cage, so I can get in behind him. Got it?" She whispered.

The bear nodded, yawning to try to get the sleep out of his system.

Satisfied that he understood, she hurried to the pile of rope, taking out her knife and measuring a good length of the end out and sawing it off with the blade. It took awhile, but she had a nice, sturdy piece of binding in her hands by the end, and she replaced the blade. Taking her piece of rope, she moved back behind the tent closest to the man behind him. Crouching behind the flap, she waved to Bepo and gave a thumbs up.

"Hey, you!" Bepo called in the strongest voice he could. "Wake up!" Growling loudly, just for good measure, he scratched his claws on the metal, producing loud scraping sounds. Sucking in a surprised breath, the trapper rose with a start, looking around to try to figure out what was going on. Eyes settling on Bepo, he stood shakily and scratched his head, walking towards him.

"Eh? Shut it, you stupid bear!" He yelled, kicking at the metal bars. He was smart enough not to go too close to the cage, which was unfortunate. Lexi, her heart in her throat, gripping the rope in each hand, silently pursuing her target.

"Hey, how'd you get your muzzle off?" He asked in an outrage, taking a step backwards. Taking a deep breath, Lexi threw caution to the wind and ran the remaining distance to him, throwing the rope around the man's neck. Using all the strength she could muster, the brunette jumped onto his back and wrapped her legs around his arms, trapping them to his sides, as she pulled at the rope, cutting off his oxygen supply.

"Gah! Agh!" He choked out, falling to his knees in surprise but unable to raise his arms to pry the rope from around his neck. Gritting her teeth with a grunt, Lexi kept pulling, using all of her strength to keep her legs around him like a vise, pleased as his resistance to her attack slowly waned the longer time went on.

"Give up!" She gasped out, eyes closing painfully. He gasped and sputtered, twisting and turning to try to shake her off but she wouldn't budge. Then, his body shaking from oxygen deprivation, he collapsed to the ground, face ground into the dirt.

Knowing that he could just be faking it, Lexi kept up the tight hold of the rope, refusing to let go until she was sure he was really passed out. After several moments, she released her grip, falling back with a loud gasp.

"That…was exhausting." She panted, flexing her fingers gently. They hurt from the tightness of holding the rope.

"Nice job, Lexi." Bepo praised, smiling sweetly.

"Thanks…Bepo…" She took a moment to catch her breath, rising from the ground as her body shook. "Now…let's get you…outta that cage."

She knew she was looking for a key, and Lexi doubted they simply left it lying around in one of the tents. Deciding to check his body first, she knelt down and began digging through his pockets, tossing aside random trinkets that were useless to her.

"Any luck?" Bepo asked hopefully, watching her search the trapper. She shook her head, about to start looking in the tents, but she spotted a section of chain around the man's neck, and she paused. Reaching towards it and pulling, she saw it was a necklace chain.

With a mighty shove, she pushed the man to lay on his back, and she dug into his shirt to look for the necklace. She grinned, holding up a thick silver key attached to the chain.

"I think this is it!" She laughed in triumph. Yanking the key from his neck, it snapped and she rose, hurrying to the cage. "Ok, let's open this baby."

Inserting the key and turning it, the padlock snapped open with a clank, and she removed it from the door. Throwing the key over her shoulder, she grabbed the edge of the metal door and yanked. The metal let out a squeal as it opened, swinging back and setting Bepo free.

"Can you stand?" She asked, heading towards the bear and grabbing his paw. He struggled to get up but managed to rise to his feet. "Now the real question is, can you walk?"

"I think I can manage." He stated. Heart much lighter than before, Lexi wrapped an arm around his waist for support, not that it would do much since he was so much taller, and lead him away from the camp.

They returned to the tree line where the trail began, Bepo stumbling every so often as he got his senses back. Lexi was patient, but she knew that the rest of the trappers were out there somewhere in the forest. This wasn't quite over yet. They still had to safely get back to the submarine.

* * *

Lexi was listening closely to the noise around them, intent to hear the group of trappers before they came upon them. Bepo was moving much easier now, the effects of the tranquilizer almost fully worn off.

"How are you holding up?" She asked, still keeping hold of the bear's waist as they moved through the forest.

"I don't feel so groggy now, but my mouth is dry and my head hurts."

"I'm sure Law has something back at the sub that will help with those." She reassured, hoping what she said was true.

"Thank you for saving me, Lexi." He nuzzled the side of Lexi's face in appreciation.

"We're nakama. Of course I'd save you. But," She shook a scolding finger at the bear, "no more running to find yourself another polar bear like that, got it?"

His head lowered. "I'm sorry…"

She sighed with a smile. "You're lucky I can't stay mad at you."

Up ahead somewhere, she heard a loud laugh, followed by the shouts of other men. She froze, eyes widening as she realized what it was. "That's the trappers. We have to hide."

Pulling him off the trail and into the trees, they hid behind a particularly wide one, hearing the voice come closer to their location. Lexi held Bepo's head down, since his white fur and orange suit would stick out immediately in the brown and green colors of the forest. Holding her breath, she waited as the group came closer and closer, before they were passing them by and growing faint as the minutes ticked on.

"Should we-"

"Not yet. Just in case they come back around." She whispered quietly, stroking his head softly to keep him quiet. She didn't want them to double back and know their location.

Several minutes passed, but the voices didn't get any louder. Confident they'd passed on, she rose and help Bepo up, bringing them back onto the trail, continuing on their way.

"Almost there." She cooed, hoping it was true.

* * *

Much to her relief, they emerged from the forest entirely, spotting the city further on, no more than 20 minutes later. Lexi and a slightly fatigued Bepo began marching towards the city in exhaustion. All that effort being exerted after choking the man was really starting to get to her now.

Ignoring the strange looks of the citizens in the town as they passed, Lexi and Bepo made their way straight to the submarine. The short distance to the sub seemed a lifetime away, now that they were so close.

"Finally." Lexi sighed with a grin, and Bepo smiled at the sight of the large yellow vessel.

* * *

"H-hey, Law! I think you should give Bepo a once over. We ran into some problems buying the food for the sub." Lexi said lightly, pushing through the doors of the infirmary with a wide, innocent smile. The Captain was seated at his desk, leaning back in the chair as he read a medical book. Raising a brow, he watched as his newest medic lead his first mate into the room. Both of them looked worse for wear.

Sighing, he rubbed at his face and rose from the chair. "Need I ask what happened?"

She gave a lopsided smile. "Uh…it's a long story?"


	8. What Could Go Wrong? Pt. 1

Lexi's deadpan expression was her only response to the hopeful faces of the two engineers, hands clasped and hopping from foot to foot. Law, standing behind them, simply watched the events unfold as they may, curious as to how Lexi would react to their question.

"No. Absolutely not." She finally said. Shachi and Penguin slumped their shoulders.

"But, Lexi-chan!"

"Please? Please, please, please?"

"It would be so much fun!"

"We've never been to one before!"

"We'll be on our best behavior!"

"Honest!"

"No! No, no, no!" Lexi uncrossing her arms and holding out her palms, watching the two engineers whine and beg and plead for her to reconsider. "No way am I allowing you guys to go to a place like that."

"But why?" Shachi pouted, loud enough for Nana, who entered the living room at that moment, to hear.

"What in the blazes is going on here?" She asked, tromping up to the gathering of people at the couches.

"We want to go to the amusement park, but Lexi said no." Penguin explained, finding a new person to appeal to. Giving his best puppy-eyed look, he made sure to look as crestfallen as possible. "We've never been to one before, and it sounds like a lot of fun."

Nana looked at her granddaughter disapprovingly. "Oh, now Lexi, dear. It's a Saturday and you don't have school. Why not take a trip to the fun park with your friends? You all need a nice break."

"Nana, I don't think-"

"Oh, don't you worry. I think I've got a few extra dollars you can use for lunch when you get there. Let me see, here." Nana was already walking into the kitchen, ignoring Lexi's protests, to dig through her purse sitting on the counter.

Lexi sighed deeply, rubbing at her face with her hands. Shachi and Penguin high-fives in victory, but the brunette swung her bitter gaze at the two, halting their celebration. "I really hate you right now." She mouthed, not missing their gulps.

Law merely chuckled, wondering how the day would end.

* * *

"Now, don't forget, any one of those employees could be secret spies for those Nazis, so keep a look out and report any suspicious behavior." Nana instructed, waving joyfully as Lexi and the others piled into the old truck. Bepo stood behind Nana, watching his friends leave.

"Will do, Nana." Lexi called, muttering her doubts under her breath. "And sorry we couldn't take you with us, Bepo."

"That's ok. Don't worry about me." The bear replied, waving his paws as they started the engine and backed out of the driveway. Bepo and Nana stayed on the front porch, watching the truck disappear behind the row of trees further down the street. With a chuckle, the old woman laid a hand on the bear's shoulder and ushered him back inside.

"Come on, now. I bet Lexi hasn't showed you the Animal Channel on the tv."

"Animal Channel?" Bepo's ears perked up, curious as to what it would have in store for him.

* * *

"I cannot believe you forced me into taking you guys to an amusement park." Lexi continued to grumble, slumping in her seat behind the wheel. Law, of course, sat beside her in the passenger seat, eyes closed as he relaxed. Or at least, trying to. Shachi and Penguin were practically bouncing off the inside walls of the cabin. Lexi could practically hear the springs under the backseat squealing in protest with every movement. The two chattered nonstop in anticipation of the rides and games at the park.

"Have you ever been there, Lexi-chan?"

"Will there be cotton candy and popcorn?"

"Oh, and I've heard all about candy apples!"

"What's a funnel cake? Your grandma said something about it."

"Are the rides scary?"

"How many do we get to ride? Is there a limit?"

"Will we have to take our hats off?"

"We should try to win a stuffed animal for Bepo."

"Maybe even a polar bear!"

"I hope it has water rides."

"Is there a beach too?"

"Ooh! Ladies in bikinis!"

Lexi groaned, looking up to the heavens in exasperation. Seeing the look on the brunette's face, Law laughed, shaking his head. Now she knew what he had to deal with on a day to day basis. Maybe that would earn more of her respect for him.

"It's only an amusement park. What could go wrong?" Law reasoned, leaning his head on his hand. The brunette gave him a withering look.

"Everything."

* * *

"Hold out your hands so I can stamp them." The girl at the ticket window instructed, gripping the handle of a square stamp. She pressed the bottom side to a pad of blue ink, and Lexi slid her hand under the window, feeling the cold ink stick to her skin. Pulling it back, she saw the logo of the Mountain Heights Amusement Park.

One by one, Shachi, Penguin, and Law offered their hands, and the two engineers compared with each other who got the better looking stamp, pointing out smudges and imperfections in the ink.

"I swear, those two can argue about anything." Walking beside her, Law shook his head.

"You have no idea."

The four showed the admission attendant their stamps and were waved through a turnstile, stepping into the boundaries of the amusement park.

"Woah…" Shachi and Penguin marveled, looking up at the giant ferris wheel set in the middle of the fairway, the centerpiece of the park. The huge white structure was surrounded by large patches of grass, where some had brought rolling coolers to picnic with. A colorful map was plastered over a wooden post, arrows pointing directions to various rides.

"Let's start with that!" Shachi pointed at the ferris wheel, and Lexi gulped.

"A-ah, let's do that later. The view looks better at night."

"Oh, that's a good idea! Then, where's the rollercoaster?"

Law didn't miss the relief on the brunette's face as she was able to get their minds off the ferris wheel. He raised a brow, filing that away at the back of his mind. She was distracted by his engineers and didn't notice him looking.

"There's lots of rollercoasters. Which one?"

"Whatever the fastest or highest one is!" Penguin rubbed his hands together in excitement. Lexi smiled, guiding them to the map. She peered at the symbols and the key set underneath it, trying to decide where to start.

"We should start on this side of the park. There's more rollercoasters and some-GAH!" Lexi was cut off from finishing her sentence by Penguin grabbing her hand and yanking her towards where she'd indicated.

"LET'S GO!" He yelled, pulling the rest of the group with him.

* * *

"Welcome to the Fire Dragon. Please pull the restraints tightly against your waist. Keep your hands inside of the vehicle at all times. Enjoy your ride." The automated voice boomed above them.

Lexi felt the car jerk forward, her head hitting the back of the seat with a light thump. She looked to her left and saw Shachi gripping his restraint tightly. Feeling a little bad, she reached over and rested a reassuring hand on his, squeezing tightly. He gave her an appreciative look, flashing a strained smile.

"Nervous?" She called over the grinding of the track pulling the car up the hill. He nodded rapidly, untrusting of his voice. She laughed, looking away. To her right was Law, who looked unfazed. To his right was Penguin, in a similar condition as Shachi.

The car rose higher and higher, and now they had a view on either side of the park. Her toes wiggles from within her tennis shoes, feeling that spike of fear at how small the people were on the ground. Her chest tightened, and she swallowed through her rapidly-drying throat.

Maybe she hadn't thought this through all the way. At least her nerves would go away once they got over the initial hill of the rollercoaster.

The car reached the very top of the coaster, the front teetering forward as they rounded the top, then they were suddenly aiming down at the rest of the track, picking up speed.

"WOOO!" People screamed in the car behind her. Shachi and Penguin were screaming on either side of her and Law, and the wind was rushing past her face. The fear completely gone, a wide smile split her face, and she threw her arms into the air, closing her eyes in bliss.

It disappeared just as suddenly, turning into a cringe of pain as Shachi squeezed her hand with all of his might, trying not to vomit as the car spun and looped and raced its way through the track.

* * *

"What are those?" Penguin asked, pointing to a huge square building, with metal cars knocking into one another inside.

"Bumper cars. Wanna try them?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

"The park security has been notified of this incident. Any other infraction will get you all removed from the park." The pissed-off rides attendant glared, watching the four scurry away from the disaster scene of broken cars behind them. Luckily, they hadn't hurt anyone in the process of trying to 'hijack' each others' cars, ultimately snapping the seat belts, causing one of the cars to derail onto the cement walkway surrounding the arena, and creating a long scratch in one of the cars.

"Right, sorry about all of that. I'll keep an eye on them, I promise."

"Hmph." The man sniffed, turning away from her to try to fix the damage. Lexi met the others outside of the ride exit, clenching her fists.

"I told you not to get out from your seatbelt." Lexi snarled, swinging her heated gaze at Shachi and Penguin, who were already ogling the next ride in their vicinity.

* * *

"So this is a funnel cake?" The boys' eyes widened at the yellow-colored pastry, topped with powered sugar and whipped cream. Lexi placed the snack on their table, producing four forks from her other hand.

"Say hello to the most fattening thing you can get on the park." Lexi joked, taking a seat beside Shachi and Law. She handed out the utensils, out the boys immediately began tucking in.

"Mmm, this is awesome! So sweet and crunchy!" Penguin praised, stabbing at another piece of the confection.

"Ooh, it almost melts in your mouth." Shachi agreed through a mouthful of funnel cake. Lexi realized she forgot to get napkins, and rose from the table to return to the food stand.

"Could I get some napkins please?" She asked the girl working. She nodded and pulled a handful from the container, offering them to the brunette. "Thank you!"

Turning back to the table, Lexi approached, stopping when she saw the empty plate that, until a few moments ago, had contained a large funnel cake, and the hopeful eyes of the pirates who were still in the process of chewing the final bites. She deadpanned, staring down at the unused napkins. Well, that was a waste.

"Can we get another one?" Shachi asked, hopefully.

"No!"

* * *

"ARGH!" Penguin yelled, swinging the big mallet over his head and onto the circular pad below. It hit with a BANG and the force of the swing pushed the metal weight up to the zone marked 300, a far cry from the top zone marked 1000, where the bell was placed.

"Is that the best you've got?" Shachi taunted, watching his friend toss the mallet onto the ground in anger.

"It's rigged! I swear!" The pirate shouted, crossing his arms in a pout and snatching the tiny consolation prize from the attendant, returning to the spectator zone, where Law, Shachi, and Lexi waited.

"Or you just suck at the game." Lexi suggested. Penguin returned to their side in defeat, and the guy in charge of the Test Your Strength game spread his arms wide.

"Anyone else want to have a shot?" Shachi's hand shot up in the air.

"I will! I'll show you what true strength is, Penguin." He grinned, stepping up onto the platform and grabbing the mallet Penguin had tossed aside. He tested the grip and the balance of it, squaring his shoulders resolutely. Letting out a deep breath, he hovered the end of the mallet over the circular pad, phantoming a few practice swings to get the blood flowing.

"HAA!" He cried, bringing it over with as much force as he could onto the scale pad, sending the metal weight up to the zone marked 400.

"WHAT?" The pirate stared up in disbelief. "Impossible!"

"Sorry, buddy. Better luck next time."

"See? I told you it was rigged!" Penguin patted his friend's shoulder as he returned. They both held tiny, colorful plush dogs, the fabric obviously very cheap and roughly stitched together. Lexi stepped forward then, a small smile on her face.

"I'd like to try."

"Come on up, little lady." The man said, waving her over.

"Be careful, Lexi-chan! The mallet is really heavy!"

Waving at their concern, she took the mallet from the attendant, taking a second to get used to how it felt in her hands. They weren't kidding. It was pretty heavy. But not overly so. Fixing her grip, she held it aloft before the circular scale pad, more focused on actually hitting it than hitting it hard. It would just be embarrassing if she swung the head of the mallet into the concrete instead of the metal disc.

Bringing it up, she slammed it down onto the closer edge of the plate, sending the metal weight up the scale. It reached its peak right in between the 700 and 800 zone.

"Yeah!" She shouted, feeling rather proud as she set the hammer down. Lexi registered the perverse silence behind her where the pirates were standing. Turning, she saw disbelief on Shachi's and Penguin's faces, and pure amusement in Law's. She smirked. Good. It would keep those two on their toes, hopefully.

"You can choose from one of the medium prizes." The attendant said, gesturing between a bigger version of the colored dog, and a big inflatable replica of the game's mallet. She figured that having a weapon of any kind, even inflatable, probably wasn't a good thing with the pirates around, so she chose the dog.

Handing over the big purple dog plush, the attendant gave a smile before she stepped away towards her friends.

"How about that?" She taunted with glee, holding up her much larger prize. For once, the two friends were effectively silence, shocked that they'd been beaten in a game of strength to a girl. And a petite one, for that matter.

Lexi was just about to suggest another game or to put their stuff into a locker to ride another ride, when Law stepped up to the platform.

"I believe it's my turn now." He practically purred, and the attendant handed him the mallet.

"Have a go, then!" He stepped back, giving the pirate captain plenty of space to work with. Law lifted the mallet effortlessly, as if it weighed no more than a simple twig. Compared to his sword, it probably felt that way too. He twirl it a few times experimentally, finally gripping it securely. There was almost no time between him bracing himself in front of the circular plate and when he was downswing the mallet, smacking against the pad with a ear-splitting BANG. Instantly, the metal weight surged all the way up to the top of the game, hitting the bell with a resounding ring.

"And we have a winner!" The attendant called out into the crowd of people walking by. A few glanced their way, hearing the bell ring and curious as to who had won. Law, smirking his trademark smirk, handed back the mallet and glanced to his friends.

Shachi and Penguin seemed to have sunk into a depression, upset that they'd been shown up so blatantly. Lexi looked like she was simply having a good time, holding the purple dog underneath one arm.

"What color would you like?" The attendant asked, pointing to the two largest dog plushes on display behind a glass window. Law thought for a moment, considering his options.

"Blue."

Moments later, carrying his giant blue stuffed dog, Law stepped down from the platform and Lexi started leading them back towards the parking lot, knowing that Law's prize wouldn't fit in any locker the park provided. "Let's go to the truck and drop these off, so we can keep riding rides."

"No more games for today…" The two boys moaned, walking ahead of them to return to the parking lot. Lexi chuckled, until she felt someone pulling at the dog under her arm. She looked down, spotting a little boy. No more than 5, he gazed in fascination at the stuffed dog in her possession.

"Hello there. Are you lost?" She leaned down to speak to him, but he simply kept staring at her, his arm reaching up to tug at her dog's ear.

A woman, who she assumed was the boy's mother, came running up quickly. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I lost sight of him for just a moment. That's not your toy, Jason. Let's go meet daddy, now!"

Melting under the gaze of the boy's young eyes, Lexi smiled sweetly and relinquished her hold on the stuffed animal. "It looks like you would enjoy him more than I would. Here, you can have him."

She gently placed the dog into his outstretched hands, seeing his eyes widen in wonder at the plush that was almost as big as him. His mother gave Lexi a big smile and thanked her profusely, before tugging him by the hand to go see his father. Straightening, Lexi turned back to Law and the engineers, who watched her with intrigue.

Lexi pretended like nothing happened and gestured towards the parking lot. "We're still dropping off the toys, right?"

Nodding, they continued walking. Law, however, approached her and placed the even bigger blue dog into her arms. She gave him a questioning look, but he simply shrugged, refusing to look at her.

"What am  _I_  supposed to do with a ridiculous thing like that, anyways? It's yours." He said by way of explanation, walking faster to pull in front of her. She said nothing, but smiled at his back at the small gesture. She wrapped her arms around the huge dog, feeling a faint blush tint her cheeks.

Even if Law tried to hide it, he was actually a very sweet person, deep down.


	9. What Could Go Wrong? Pt. 2

"Are they really going through with this?" Lexi laughed, watching the two boys make their way through the line of the ride, having a few words with the attendant, and being lead to their cars.

"It appears so." Law stated, sitting on the bench beside the brunette as they watched Shachi and Penguin awkwardly seat themselves in the tiny rollercoaster cars of the Puff the Magic Dragon ride. They towered over the rest of the ride's occupants, toddlers and small children squealing in excitement as they waited for the ride to start. The two pirates looked extremely uncomfortable but refused to leave the ride because their manhood was in question.

"It was just a joke, they didn't actually have to prove they would." Lexi said behind her hand, unable to hold back the chuckles as the ride attendant told all the kids to keep their hands in the cars.

"I'll never understand what goes through their minds." The pirate Captain admitted, rubbing his forehead. The man pressed the buttons to activate the ride, and the little cars began to move, slowly riding the oval-shaped rails, dipping and swooping over the tiny hills in the track.

Law and Lexi watched Shachi and Penguin bicker quietly between each other, their knees up near their chest because of how small the seats were. The scene only added to Lexi's laughter, and she bent over, holding her sides. Law grinned, amused but not one to laugh aloud for others to hear.

Finally, after the cars circled the track a few times, the ride slowed and pulled into the station, letting the children plus the pirates off of the ride. They rose awkwardly from their seats, stretching their legs out and holding their backs. Lexi and Law went to stand in front of the exit, waiting for them to get out.

"You looked even more ridiculous than I did, baka!" Penguin accused, rubbing at his sore back.

"No way, baka! You looked stupid!"

"Guys!" Lexi interrupted them, and they paused, swinging their gazes to her. She grinned, pointing to another ride. "Let's go to the next one! Come on!"

* * *

"Ok, ok…everything's alright…" Lexi murmured to herself, gripping the handles of the restraint strapping her into her seat with white knuckles. Shachi sat beside her, minus his hat and sunglasses, wiggling in his seat to get more comfortable.

"Ah, it'll be fine! It's just gonna shoot us straight up then pull us back to-"

"Stop!" She squeezed shut her eyes, biting her lip. "I don't want to hear it."

"Are you scare-"

"No! I'm not scared." Lexi denied, feeling sweat in her palms against the metal handles. Her heart was beating a thousand times a minute, and she was sure that if it beat against her chest any harder it would crack her ribs. Her skin tingled, staring at Law and Penguin, who were standing in line to ride next. Law was smirking and Penguin gave the both of them a thumbs up, grinning widely.

"It'll be fun!" Shachi encouraged, and Lexi ignored him. Then, she heard a click and the metal ball they were strapped into slowly rocked back into place. Lexi squeaked, trying to find a better grip on something sturdy.

 _"_ _Oh my god, oh my god, ohmygodohmygod!"_  Her thoughts were rapid and jumbled, nothing more intelligent than fearing for her life. The panic was real. She was certainly going to die on this ride.

"I can't do this, I need to get off…" Lexi muttered, more to herself than anything, but Shachi unfortunately heard it.

"What's that? Are you ok, Lexi-chan? We can tell them to let you off."

She swallowed, trying to calm her nerves enough so she could hear a little better, but the blood was rushing through her ears. "No, it's fine. Nevermi-AAAAHHHHHH!" She was cut off when the ball was released from the ground, shooting up into the air, the wind rushing past her. Somewhere, someone was screaming. After awhile she realized it was her, but the ball tilting up and back down, spinning upside down and back again, was so disorienting and terrifying and exhilarating and dizzying it was insane.

"Woo! This is awesome!" Shachi shouted next to her, but his words barely registered in her subconscious, her eyes glued shut and her hands holding onto the handles for dear life. Her body felt like it was being tossed to and fro, and it wasn't a pleasant experience.

Finally,  _finally,_  the ball stopped spinning and the ball began slowly descending back towards the ground. Lexi's hair was all messed up from the wind, strands hanging loose around her face, but she ignored it. Her heart in her throat, she said nothing as they reached the bottom and were secured back onto the tether.

Lexi felt the ride attendants release their restraints, pulling it up over her head, and she finally released her hold on the handles. Her fingers ached, red from overuse.

Shachi stood up and offered his hand to help her up. She took it, staggering out of the chair and towards the exit, standing only by the help of the pirate.

"You ok there, Lexi-chan?" Shachi asked, frowning in worry as she shook.

"Fine." Came her clipped tone, stomach still doing flips and turns as if they were still spinning in the air. "Just need to sit down."

* * *

"I'm seriously beginning to think they're just 5 year olds in adult bodies." Lexi said, lounging on the wooden bench, watching Shachi and Penguin bicker about who's carousel horse looked cooler, disappearing and reappearing with each rotation of the ride. Law, his arms crossed, simply sighed deeply.

* * *

"Ah! The water's so cold!" Penguin shrieked, arching his back as the rapids beneath them tossed up water into their circular boat. The raft rocked with each wave it landed on, water shooting up on all sides and drenching the occupants inside. Not one of them was dry.

"There's a waterfall around the corner, and the boat tends to spin, so whoever is unluckiest will get soaked." Lexi explained, teeth chattering as the wind blew across her wet clothing. She'd have to fix her pony tail once they got off, because her hair hung limply around her face, the strands sticking to her cheeks in an annoying fashion.

The raft bumped against the wooden railing keeping them on track, and just as Lexi had said, around the bend was a large rock overhang directly across the path. Only one side of the track would be affected, and the boat spun slowly.

"Oh, please not me!" Shachi cried, as he circled to be placed underneath where the water would fall. The boat continued to spin, playing roulette with the riders inside the boat. Shachi, Penguin, Lexi, Law. Shachi, then Penguin again…

"Nooo! No, please!" Lexi cried, the waterfall coming ever closer and the boat was looking like it would place her underneath the flow. They were several feet away, but the boat continued to spin, placing Law in its path.

And then they were under it, the pirate captain being drenched by the cascading water. The splash made everyone else wet as well, but nowhere near the amount as Law received. They passed through it completely, revealing a dripping Law, grimacing from the cold.

He shook his head, trying to smooth down his hair from the wet mess that it was now. Looking around at the others, Law sighed, disappointed that he'd gotten it the worst. Everyone laughed at his misfortune.

"Don't worry, we'll buy a towel at the gift shop so you can dry off." She promised, still chuckling under her breath.

* * *

"Hey, Nana!" Lexi said through the phone, standing a little bit away from the three pirates while they dried off with towels.

 _"Lexi, dear! How is the fun park? Are you enjoying yourselves?_ " Her grandmother asked. Lexi laughed.

"Yeah! We just rode the Rattlesnake Rapids, so we're drenched!"

 _"Oh my! I hope you brought a change of clothes."_  She commented in concern.  _"Wouldn't want you to catch a cold again. I might have some more morphine laying around…"_  She trailed off, as if going to look for it. Lexi's eyes widened.

"No, its ok though. We bought a few towels to dry off with, and then we're going to ride some more rides."

_"That's great, dear! Will you be home for dinner?"_

"Well, that's what I wanted to call for. It seems like the boys want to stay a bit longer and ride some more, but I don't want to leave you guys without anything to eat at home. Do you want us to come home so I can make dinner for us all?"

She heard some noise in the background, but it was too muffled to pinpoint what exactly it was.  _"No, no! Your bear friend and I will be just fine by ourselves. Stay as long as you like over there."_

"Ok, if you're sure. We'll have to pay for our own dinner in the courtyard, is that alright with you? I don't want to spend too much of the money you gave us."

 _"Now, Lexi. Don't you worry about a thing."_  Nana scolded, taking on that all-too-familiar tone that meant the brunette was asking too many questions or making too many excuses.  _"I don't wanna hear another word of that. "_

"Alright, sorry." She muttered, a smile spreading on her face. "I think there's some cans of soup and stuff to make sandwiches for you guys."

 _"We'll figure something out. Keep an eye out for spies!"_  Nana added.

"Will do. Love you." Lexi replied, saying her goodbyes and ending the call. She stuffed the phone back in her pocket and turned to look for the pirates, approaching them.

"We can stay as long as we like, so do you want to get dinner now or ride more rides? It's about three o'clock right now, so we've still got some time."

"Let's ride more rides!" The engineers confirmed, and Law shrugged.

"I might help me dry off." He agreed, handing her the towel he'd used to get as much excess water off as he could. She undid her pony tail and covered her head, ruffling her hair in the cloth to dry some of it. Feeling like that was the best she would be able to do, Lexi redid her hair and wrapped the towel around her neck.

"Alright, let's go!"

* * *

It was hours later, long after they'd eaten dinner in the food court, and the sky had darkened considerably. The sun had already set over the horizon, the sky was painted a deep orange and red, with the touches of blue beginning to seep through on the opposite end of the sky.

"You said the ferris wheel was better at night, right? Let's go now!" Shachi grabbed her arm and pulled, dragging her towards one of the last rides they had yet to go on. Lexi's eyes widened, and she tried to dig her heels into the cement.

"Uh, you guys can go on it. I'm alright."

"What? Come on! It'll be fun! You'll be able to see a really good view from up there." They wouldn't relent, tugging harder at her resistance. Looking to Law for help, she glared, seeing no assistance coming from him any time soon. He was smirking at them, walking casually behind them towards the ferris wheel.

Lexi tried making excuses throughout the whole time they were in the line as to why she didn't want to ride it. Shachi and Penguin wouldn't accept any of them.

The line wasn't that long, and finally Shachi and Penguin were let on the ride. The attendant opened one of the covered cabins, letting them inside. Lexi stood behind Law, but he made no move to step forward and join his men. The two engineers looked back to him in confusion, but he simply smirked.

"We'll take the next one."

Accepting this answer, they nodded and settling into their seats, the attendant closing the door so it couldn't be opened. Another attendant in the operations booth a bit further back rotated the wheel to the next available cabin, and Law grabbed Lexi's hand before she could protest, leading her into the closed cabin without a word.

"Wait, I-"

"Quiet." He said, grinning that devilish grin at her, the one that only spelled trouble. The attendant closed their cabin, stepping away and the wheel began to rotate again, sending them a little into the air.

The loaded a few more cars, sending Law and Lexi's higher up each time, until there were no more people waiting. Then, the attendant down below pressed the button for the ride to spin, and Lexi squeaked a little, the speed much faster than before.

It smelled a little musky on the inside, perhaps from old age or the countless number of people who'd ridden in the cabin. It was circular in shape, with seats lining all sides, deep red, worn cushions on the bottom and walls of the enclosed space. Above the seats, all around them, were large windows to see out of.

Inside the cabin, directly in the middle, was a round, handled disc, which could be used to spin the individual cabin. Lexi gripped it, her teeth clenching as they moved. She sat upright, her back straight and nowhere near the cushion of the seat. Law chuckled beside her.

"You're afraid of heights, aren't you?" He guessed, recalling all the times she'd looked on in fear at the distance to the ground on all of the previous rollercoasters they'd ridden that day. Angrily, she glared at him, refusing to take her hands off the disc.

"No, I'm not." His grin only widened. Just to prove a point, he reached forward and began to spin the disc, sending them spinning up high in the air as the ferris wheel rotated. Lexi tensed up immediately, whining out loud.

" _Doonnnn't! Please stop!"_  She tried halting the disc but Law was much stronger, and they continued to spin. Lexi swore that the metal of the cabin creaked, or shifted unnaturally. Who knew how old this thing was? Or the last time it was serviced? The bolts could be rusty, needing just the right amount of leeway to finally come loose, plummeting them to a very quick and scary death down below…

"Just admit that you're scared." He ordered, ignoring her pleas and spinning it faster.

"Ok, ok! I'm scared, I'm scared! Just stop, please!" She cringed, finally taking her hands off the disc to cover her face in fright as the disc let out a metallic squeak in protest. Thankfully, that was all Law wanted to hear, because he stopped, slowly halting the rotation of their cabin.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He reasoned, leaning back in his seat comfortably, noticing her rigid position on her own.

"It was horrible!" Lexi argued, refusing to look around them at the terrifying view. "I just want to be let off…"

"Soon enough, the ride will end. Just enjoy it while we're up here." He said quietly, breathing deeply. He was quiet happy to have this moment of peace after a long day of noise and distraction.

"How am I supposed to enjoy this?" The brunette questioned through gritted teeth, still not relaxing. Law eyed her, smiling a little, before grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him. She cried out in surprise, but otherwise didn't resist.

Law pulled her close, turning her so the faced to the side of him. His arms wrapped around her as she sat sideways on his lap, legs bent at the knee more comfortably. He gently pressed her head to his shoulder, remaining silent. Lexi's eyes were wide, staring into the fabric of his shirt, her heartbeat becoming rapid for a whole different reason.

Slowly, she began to register just how warm it felt to be wrapped in his arms, the closeness helping to ease the tension in her body. It was a quiet, relaxing moment. Words would have ruined it, she felt. The silence was nice.

Finally succumbing to his embrace, she wiggled around in his grip to get more comfortable, snaking her arms around him. They said nothing. Lexi felt the cabin move every so often and she would tense, but Law would brush his fingers against her side, helping to calm her.

After awhile, Lexi closed her eyes, and if he didn't know any better, he would have mistaken that she was sleeping. He looked down at the peaceful brunette in his arms, quite enjoying the way she tucked neatly against his own body. It had been the right decision to take a separate car from his engineers, knowing how loud and noisy the small enclosed cabin would have been with them around.

Around and around the ferris wheel turned, sending them up then down again. Law trailed small circles on the edge of her stomach, when he felt the wheel begin to slow. Looking up, without disturbing the brunette in his arms, he saw they were still high in the air. The mechanical wheel continued to slow, until it came to a halt at the very top of the arc.

The small jolt as it stopped completely was enough for Lexi to notice, and she tensed up, fearful of opening her eyes. Her hands took hold of his hoodie, fingers tightening around the material. Law thought she looked like a frightened child.

"We're at the top, aren't we?" She whispered, and he nodded. Lexi took a deep breath, but refused to let go. The conscious thought of being up so high was enough to make her tense up again. "Like I said before, I'm terrified of heights."

Law squeezed her side with his hand, causing her to reluctantly open her eyes to look up at him. He grinned, tilting his head. "I'll just have to distract you, then."

"With what?" She asked, but he was already unwrapping his arms from her torso. She immediately missed the comfort they gave her, but couldn't think anymore on it, because she felt them on her jean-clad legs. "Oh!" Lexi cried, surprised when he picked her up under her thighs, placing her onto his lap more comfortably, so she straddled him.

"Law-" She tried to say, but as soon as she was sitting atop him, his hands moved to cup her cheeks, pulling her face closer. Lexi didn't miss that dangerous gleam in his eye but was too distracted by his lips pressing against hers to really complain.

There was a brief moment of shocked hesitation, before the brunette began to melt into his kiss, gently placing her hands on his chest. Law's fingers slid back into her still slightly-damp hair, tugging the band that held it up. It fell past her shoulders, wavy and uneven. The pirate ran his fingers through her locks, marveling at its softness.

With a gentle pull and a sly smirk, Law earned a quiet, breathless moan from the woman in his lap. Oh, he loved that sound. He moved his hands from her cheeks down her neck, down the sides of her breasts, her ribs, all the way to her ass, which he gave a tight squeeze.

"Mmm!" She squeaked, the sound caught up in between their lips, and he chuckled under his breath. The sweet kisses were long gone, replaced with more hungry and passionate ones. Lexi, thinking all of this was pretty unfair, grabbed a tighter hold of the front of his hoodie, pulling herself closer and pressing her covered breasts to his clothes chest.

Smiling sweetly, she sucked in his bottom lip, pulling it between her teeth agonizingly slow, just to drive him insane. It seemed to work, because he let out a growl from the back of his throat, one hand leaving her ass to trail up under her shirt. Fingers leaving waves of fire on her skin, his thumb brushed the underside of her bra, sending sparks up and down her back.

"Ah…" She broke away from the kiss, unable to contain herself from the pleasurable feelings he elicited. She'd forgotten all about where they were and how high up in the air they currently sat. The only thing on her mind was the feel of his body against hers. Though, a part of her wondered how it felt without all their clothes between them.

They were jerked back to reality when the ride began moving again, starting on the slow descent back down to the ground, and an intercom came on overhead, coming from the perforated speaker on the ceiling.

 _"_ _The ride will come to a stop momentarily. Please remain seated and wait for the ride attendant to unlock the cabin for you. Thank you for riding the ferris wheel."_  The voice cut out, leaving them in silence once again.

They faced each other, inches apart, quietly panting for breath. Her face was flushed, heated to the touch. Law's eyes appeared glazed over, his mind still focused on the softness of her lips. Their breaths mingled with each other in the space between them.

"I'm still terrified of heights," She started, giving him a small smile, "but I could get used to riding the ferris wheel."

Law only chuckled, tucking a stray piece of her hair behind one ear.

Movement in the window behind Law drew her attention, and she looked over his shoulder at another car across from theirs, spinning madly at a speed much faster than the cabins are supposed to go, the two occupants inside appearing to be yelling at each other.

"They can't go one minute without doing something childish, can they?" Lexi's laughed, pointing to Shachi and Penguin's cabin. Turning back to see what she meant, he sighed, rubbing at his forehead.

"For now, let's pretend we didn't see anything." He groaned out, wondering when on earth he'll be able to get a grip on his two engineers. Lexi chuckled, settling back into his chest. They were much closer to the ground now, but she'd enjoy the moment while it lasted. At least until they got off the ride.


	10. Lessons

"Here you go, Captain." The cook said, handing him a tray of food for dinner. Law's eyes scanned the contents of his plate, seeing no bread or anything remotely close to it, and that of his newest medic's, which was obviously more fruit based, before nodding appreciatively and heading back through the mess hall door and towards his bedroom.

The hallways were strangely quiet, seeing as everyone was in the mess hall eating. They made quite the ruckus to begin with. Amassing them all in one place didn't help the noise. Luckily, he'd thought to install soundproof walls around the points of the sub where the most activity would be, the mess deck and the infirmary included.

Craning and popping his neck as he walked, he let out a relieved sigh, feeling much better. Holding the tray of plates with one hand as he approached his door, he turned the knob and stepped inside. Expertly he pivoted his way inside without dropping the food and closed it behind himself.

The room was dark, save for the lamp on his bedside table, illuminating Lexi's textbooks spread all around her on the bed. She lay on her stomach, feet kicked up in the air behind her comfortably. At his entrance she glanced up, a highlighter stuck between her teeth and a hand hovering over her notebook of personal notes clutching a pen.

"Oh, is it dinnertime already?" She questioned with a tilted head, smelling the aroma of the food he'd retrieved for the both of them. The delicious scent caused her now-obviously empty stomach to grumble, long neglected from hours of studying the textbooks.

At the sound, Law chuckled, placing the tray on his own desk. "I've never met someone who can tune out just as badly as much as myself. But surely you know you've been sitting there since noon?"

"Since noon?" She cried out, propping herself up higher on her elbows, the highlighter dropped from her mouth to the bed, and she stole a glance at the clock on his desk. "Shit, I was supposed to help Bepo brush his fur today."

Amused by her surprised and alarmed expression, Law waved his hand in dismissal of her worries. "The waters we're currently navigating through are rocky and treacherous. He's been personally overseeing our course all day, so it's likely he forgot as well."

"Still, I feel like I've lost a whole day's worth of opportunities." She puffed out an irritated breath, glancing back down at her book as she sat up from her prone position. "Though, I've definitely learned a bunch more about the heart than I ever thought I would."

Law quirked a brow, inspecting the pages of the four textbooks she'd spread out across the comforter. They were all turned to pages about the cardiovascular system or the heart, her notes sectioned off in much similar ways.

"How are your studies going, anyway?" He questioned, taking a look at what she'd written. Just as he'd noticed from his short time teaching her in her own world, her notes were clear and clinical, organized into clear paragraphs and never over-detailed.

"Well, once I figured out that it's a lot faster and easier to study about the same body system or organ by reading from multiple books at once, I've been able to understand a lot more." She admitted, grabbing her notebook once Law had inspected it. "Each one has little bits and pieces of information that the other three lack, so reading them all in tandem gives me the whole picture."

"Hmm." He hummed, cocking a brow. "That's quite an effective method. Well done, Lexi-ya." He complimented, and she sighed quietly.

"It would be even better if these books had more diagrams or pictures. It's hard to visualize everything they describe in my head. Too bad I didn't pay more attention to the drawings in my college classes, otherwise I'd try to recreate them."

She turned a few pages back in her notes to a crudely-drawn picture of the veins and arteries surrounding the heart, branching off in different directions to the different parts of the body each one was labeled with the corresponding body section, but a few had question marks beside them.

"This is the best I can manage right now, and yes, I know I suck at drawing." She directed a very pointed look up at Law, seeing the amusement dancing in his own eyes at her rough depiction of the organ.

Unbeknownst to her, however, was that the Captain had just come up with a brilliant idea, one he would enjoy seeing her react to. With a chuckle, he straightened and gestured for her to do the same. "Come with me, and bring your notes."

"What? Where are we going?" She questioned, doing as he instructed regardless of her suspicions. She trusted him fully, but it was never good when he had that dangerous and excited glint in his gaze. Notebook and pen in hand, she followed Law out the door to his bedroom and down the hall of the sub.

It was a short walk to the infirmary, seeing as the Captain had intentionally situated his own quarters rather close to his workspace, as told by him in case he had to tend to wounded in an emergency situation. Lexi's excitement began to grow, and a smile quickly widened on her face as her thoughts began to run with her imagination.

Perhaps he had more advanced and detailed medical books she could look at? So far he'd been starting her off with the basic texts. Or maybe he had organ samples she could look at? A preserved heart he used to study with? She'd always loved dissecting the sheep brains in her biology class in college, and any other organ or animal had been no different. Unlike most of her classes, the autopsy videos that her anatomy lab class had shown had not disgusted her, instead intrigued her to know what the inside of the body actually looked like.

Law gave no indication as to what he was doing, simply told her to sit on one of the metal examination tables and wait. She did so, sitting so her legs dangled down one side and watched as he went to the sink and washed his hands.

Law couldn't wait to see the look on her face. She'd never seen his powers put to use before, much less any sort of devil fruit this world had to offer so far. Their journey had been relatively calm and uneventful since her arrival, presenting no opportunities for her to experience what should undoubtedly shock her. The grin never wavered as he finished cleaning his hands, drying them on a towel nearby.

"Room." He said, holding up one hand. Before her eyes, a spinning circle tinted blue formed underneath his fingers. Her eyes widened, having no time to question what was going on before it expanded and seemingly passed through her body to settle in a bubble around them. It felt as if there was a brief disturbance in the air around her as it passed by, but other than that it wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

"What is this?"

"Questions after." He decided, smirk never wavering.

"What are you gonna show me?" She asked, ignoring his previous order. Lexi honestly couldn't help it. She was too curious. With a chuckle, he walked back towards the examination table with careful steps, finally settling himself behind her. The light touch of his fingers on the left side of her back made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"The most accurate depiction of a heart there is." He responded in a mutter, aligning his fingers against her back with where he could feel her heart beating, slightly faster than usual. Leaning forwards and placing his other hand on her shoulder, his breath tickled the back of her ear. "This will probably sting for a moment, but try to stay still."

The beginnings of multiple questions at the tip of her tongue, a frowning Lexi was unable to voice any of them as Law murmured one other word she couldn't quite hear, and the next instant his fingers pressed hard into her back. And when she said into, it really meant  _into_  her back _._

Eyes wide and mouth agape, she gasped as they seemed to pierce straight into her body, somehow meeting very little resistance. A sudden fear crept up and caused her to squeeze her eyes shut. The pressure made her chest lean forward out of instinct, a strangely cold feeling replacing what her brain registered should have been a searing pain. Her hoodie, which had provided her warmth throughout the day up to that point, did nothing to alleviate the chill.

Her muscles were tensed out of reflex, trying to protect her body from some external threat, but just as quickly as the intense pressure began, it was gone, leaving that perpetual cold feeling in her chest and a strange emptiness the brunette couldn't explain.

Law chuckled behind her, squeezing her shoulder as the feeling of something  _passing through her_  could be felt in the cold area of her chest. Hitched breath escaped her lips as Law's hands released their hold on her. His shoes clicked against the tile floor, and she could feel him walking around to the front of the table.

"Open your eyes, Lexi-ya." Law commanded, voice amused and gentle. Cracking open an eye, she took in the sight of Law standing there in front of her, smirking devilishly, while he held a square, red cube in his hand, the contents of which contained the organ she'd been studying extensively all day. As she watched, it pulsed in and out in a steady rhythm.

Eyes wide, her gaze travelled down to the front of her own shirt, where a large empty square hole could be found. Tentatively, her hand reached up and inspecting the empty space, fingering the edges cautiously. It was perfectly symmetrical, clean and strangely lacking the gushing blood she expected. A sudden panic erupted. He had literally removed her heart. Was this…death?

He must have recognized the fear in her eyes, because he chuckled, drawing her attention back to him. "You won't die. In fact, your body suffers no harm at all." He explained, turning to inspect the cube in his hand. He seemed unfazed that it was pulsing in his hand.

After the fear passed, her own curiosity and imagination began to take over. The organ he held in his hands was suddenly so fascinating, and her excitement returned, albeit a bit slower than before. "Can I…touch it?"

"Of course. Don't squeeze, or it'll hurt." He gently placed the cube into her outstretched hand, moving to lean on the table beside her and watch her reaction.

The first thing she wondered was how it could feel so warm when the 'wound,' so to speak, felt so cold. The next was how surreal it was to feel her own heart beat so strongly right in the palm of her hand. At first, the sensation nearly caused her to drop it, but seeing as this was literally one of her organs, that was probably not a good idea.

"How is this possible?" Came her breathless question, her brain finally thought to ask. Eyes never leaving the cube, she was too busy turning it this way and that to see his pleased smirk.

"It is the power of my devil fruit. I can manipulate anything as I please inside my 'operating room,' if you will." He spread his arms wide to indicate the blue film that encircled them. Lexi looked to her left, where the border of the sphere was closest. Without hesitation, she passed her hand through it curiously. There was only a slight vibrating sensation in the spot where the fingers touched the crossed through the film.

"Amazing…" She whispered in awe, taking in all that he showed her. What would have otherwise been impossible…was obviously very normal in this world. Devil fruits that gave it's user these strange and fantastic abilities? Incredible. Were they all the same? How many others were there? What other things could they do? What were their limitations, beside being unable to swim?

With her thoughts running a mile a minute, she went back to inspecting her own heart, bringing it close to her face to see the intricate details of the veins and tissues moving with every beat of the organ. A thought pervaded her thoughts and she chuckled. "At least you didn't have these powers in my world, or else Brittany would have died of shock."

"Perhaps." He grinned, wondering what sort of havoc he could have created if he'd been in full use of his abilities. So many missed opportunities…

His attention was brought back to Lexi who gently set her heart on the edge of the examination table and took out her notebook. "This is so cool." She praised in excitement, biting her lip to keep from smiling too widely. Flipping to a blank page, she stared intently at the organ before beginning to draw.

"I'll leave you to this for awhile." Law said, pushing away from the table and walking over to the filing cabinet. Lexi looked up, pausing in her drawing.

"You're not leaving, are you?" She questioned. "What if I need you to put my heart back in?" When she looked up, she noticed that the blue film around her had disappeared, the infirmary back to it's old self again. He chuckled at her question.

"I have to organize and update some of the crew's medical records, so I'll be here for awhile. But you don't need me to return your heart to it's place. Simply return it to where it belongs."

His answer left her silent for a moment, turning the heart back and forth to inspect the sides. "Um…what if I put it in backwards by accident?"

There was a brief moment of silence, and when she looked up he was frowning to himself, head tilted in that way that meant he was thinking to himself. After awhile, his signature smirk returned. "I'm not sure. Should we try it and see?"

"No way, I'd rather not die." She scoffed, setting the organ back down on the table and returning to her sketches. Law only chuckled at her and faced the cabinets again, pulling out one section of the many files containing his crew's medical records.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Lexi asked Law to dissect different parts of her own body to draw diagrams of the delicate anatomy. Of course, the pirate hadn't expected her to be quite so elated to have herself cut apart and floating in midair around her, but apparently, according to her, it was rather interesting…and fun.

But, Lexi's crude drawings from before, reliant solely on the diagrams from her college classes so long ago, were now replaced with next-to-realistic portrayals of the intricate workings of the body. With accurate visuals and a more hands-on learning environment, she was fairly quickly.

So, it was several weeks later, when she'd finished work on the endocrine system, that she turned the page and read the heading of the next chapter.  _The Reproductive System and Accessory Organs._  At first, she didn't even hesitate, but then, a devious, wicked smile split across her face as she thought of Law's powers coming in handy for this chapter. So many wonderful possibilities…

Something about this world just made her more open with her emotions and feelings…her personal needs included. Sometimes, it was fun to come out and play a little.

As usual, Lexi was laying on the bed with her feet up behind her, the textbooks spread out across the comforter. Biting her lip to prevent the giggle that threatened to bubble up, she looked over to Law, who was seated behind his desk working on Captain stuff. They'd both worked in silence for over an hour, interrupted only by Lexi asking random questions.

That smile still in place, she wiggled in place with excitement, her fingers running up and down the page of the book. "Hey, Law?" She asked sweetly, unable to hide the amusement in her tone.

"No." Came his immediate response, not even bothering to look up from the reports he was filling out. The scratching of his pen on the paper was the only sound in the room.

Caught off guard, it took a moment before Lexi could speak again. "You didn't even know what I was going to say!" She cried, not really angry but just trying to act like it. Still, Law didn't turn around, which only made things worse.

"Yes, Lexi-ya, I do. How many times do you think I've read those books? Don't you think I'd at least memorize the order of the chapters?" Came his steady and even reply, though he himself was hiding an amused smirk. Not that she could see that.

Face burning a bright red, she pouted to herself, but was unable to hide her smile. Well, damn. That plan didn't work out. Sighing dramatically, she rested her head on her hand and forced the smile from her face, pretending to frown with a pout as she adopted a flippant tone of voice. "Alright, alright. I guess it's fine. I mean, all I wanted was an  _extensive_  lesson in the reproductive system, but I suppose I'll just have to do without…"

Then, an even better thought crossed her mind, and she brightened up. "Well, I could always  _teach myself_ …" Emphasizing her words intentionally, just to mess with him.

Watching him carefully, Lexi didn't miss how Law's pen stopped moving entirely, though his body showed no outward sign that he took notice of her statement. Smirking, she watched him gently put down the pen.

From his seat in the chair, Law narrowed his eyes. And just when he actually had to get these reports done too. Thanks to her, he now had very delicious images of the brunette in very compromising positions, ultimately breaking the concentration he'd maintained doing his work for so long. He hid his sigh expertly, though the grin settled in place as usual. So this was how she wanted to play?

"Room." He whispered under his breath, too low for her to hear. The next moment, the blue film enveloped the room and with a twist of his fingers, he teleported Lexi straight onto his lap. She gave a squeal of surprise, and by the time she even realized what was going on, Law had already rested his hands on her hips and pulled her closer.

"Perverted woman." He muttered against her lips, barring any attempt she made to reply by kissing her fervently. If it was a lesson she wanted, it was a lesson she was going to get.

Nor would he allow her to forget it.


	11. Never Underestimate The Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *LEMON WARNING*

It started in the morning, right as he woke up. One of the few nights that he'd been able to actually  _sleep,_  Law rolled over in the bed and reached out to wrap an arm around the brunette beside him to pull her closer. Instead, it fell back onto the comforter, an empty space where the woman should have been. His fingers clenched the comforter as he cracked open one eye, eyeing the space with a glare. Already irritated and he'd just woken up.

"Lexi-ya." He graveled out, pushing himself up to look around the room. It wasn't usual for her to be up before him, even less of a morning person than himself. And that was saying something, considering the nights he actually got a decent rest were occasional at times. There was a shuffling sound in the bathroom, and a moment later she emerged from within, slipping the usual hoodie over her head fully dressed and ready for the day.

"Morning." She called cheerfully, unusually peppy and awake that early. The captain, confused as to why she was so happy, glanced at the clock and confirmed it wasn't even six in the morning. She must have seen his disbelief at her pleasant attitude, because she chuckled and knelt next to the bed by his face. "I've gotta help the chef with preparing breakfast, remember?"

Somewhere in the foggy cloud that was his memory recalled that yes, in fact, she'd said something about that the day before in passing. It had slipped his mind, though it wasn't entirely his fault. Half the time when she tried to get his attention while he had reports to file or textbooks to read, he zoned out everyone and could barely be spoken to, a fact that one too many times his crew had unfairly taken advantage of.

For instance, the time they'd waited until he was nose deep in medical reports to ask if they could have a food fight.  _That_  had been an interesting discussion once he discovered the mess later. His only consolation was at least she hadn't told him something outlandish that he'd unwittingly agreed to.

"I'm going to go to the mess deck, alright? I'll bring you something up later." She promised, leaning down to kiss his cheek. Before she could pull away, the drowsy Captain grabbed onto the front of her hoodie and pulled her down for a real kiss, slowly but insistently tasting her.

Whilst she was distracted, his hand crept up under her hoodie and skimmed a trail across her stomach and up to the side of her breast, giving a soft squeeze. Lexi jumped a little at the sensation, almost letting slip a quiet moan as his fingers probed deeper into her flesh through the fabric of her hoodie.

Before Lexi even had a chance to pull away, he pulled her further down beside him on the bed, switching positions so he hovered over her dangerously. Never breaking his kiss, his knee spread her legs apart a little wider.

Realizing that her chances of escape were quickly diminishing, Lexi let go a satisfied sigh, clutching his shoulders and rolling them over once more so she was the one on top. With a chuckle the brunette used the momentum to hop the rest of the way out of the bed and onto her feet once more. A quick glance at the surprised and slightly irritated Captain confirmed her suspicion, eyeing the tightness of his boxers.

"Don't make me late, I gotta go." Came her light-hearted response, as if nothing had even occurred.

"Hmm." He hummed, narrowing his eyes with a silent promise to himself that this wouldn't be the end of it. She might have gotten away this time but once breakfast was done, he'd bring her right back and do as he pleased.

Reluctantly letting go, Law watched her grin and turn to leave the room, her ass intentionally swaying side to side enticingly just to draw his eye. Not one to waste opportunities, he watched with interest until she completely disappeared from view behind the door and into the hall.

* * *

 

As much as he'd tried getting back to sleep, that damned woman had caused too many visions of her lying beneath him, squirming with pleasure and moaning his name to really get any other rest. So much for that.

Just as she'd promised, about an hour later she'd returned with a tray of food, setting it on the nightstand and scurrying back out before he could make her stay. She was a slippery one. Figuring he may as well get ready for the day, Law rose from the bed and ate his breakfast while getting dressed.

Finishing his meal, he grabbed the tray and headed down to the mess deck where the crew was gathered. They greeted him cheerily, and he took his usual seat reading that morning's paper as they all ate their meals.

Breakfast finished quickly, the crew trickling out to attend to their daily chores and duties. The conversations slowly died down as people left. There was nothing interesting in the paper, and Law quickly became bored just sitting there. No doubt there were papers to go over back in the navigation room, maintenance checks that had to be done, and a whole other assortment of things on his to-do list, but the one at the very top of it was Lexi, so he stayed put at his seat and waited until she had finished in the kitchen.

Finally, she emerged from within, glancing around for someone in particular. Law smirked, moving to stand, but paused when she locked her gaze on Penguin and Shachi, waving eagerly over to them and headed over. Frowning, he stood and wandered over to where they were seated.

"Lexi-ya," He started, coming up behind the brunette, "will you please accompany me to the infirmary?" That sly smirk reappeared, and she closed her eyes with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I already promised these guys I'd clean the boiler room with them. I guess it's pretty bad down there." She gestured to his two engineers and they nodded enthusiastically.

With more effort than he cared to admit, the Captain was able to withhold the heavy sigh that threatened to break through. Of course she had. It seemed Lexi's morning was booked consecutively. While it wasn't rare for her to offer to help out some of the other crew members, the fact that she just had to be busy  _that_  morning was a bit irritating.

He'd had other plans with her, but he couldn't deny that the cleanliness of his own vessel was important. And that particular area of the ship had been neglected somewhat for awhile. Honestly, a woman's attention to detail would probably help these two complete the job without cutting corners.

"Well, then you'd better get started." He relented, watching passively as the three nodded and headed off out the door towards the boiler room. It was fine. He could wait a few more hours. She had to be done at some point, right?

* * *

 

"Lexi-ya."

The brunette, who was currently crouched down cleaning the toilets in the bathrooms, glanced up from her work, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. "Oh, hey. I'm almost done cleaning the bathroom."

The Captain smirked. "Good, because-"

"After this I'm supposed to get all the laundry done with Holly. Since I'm running out of clean clothes." She chuckled, dunking the scrubbing tool back into the toilet bowl. "I've procrastinated this long already."

Before he could really retort she was already back to work and humming to herself. Silently pursing his lips, Law wandered over to the infirmary to read yet another medical book in the meantime. It would be his third that day alone.

* * *

 

"Lexi-"

"Law, could you hand me that box of sake?" She called from the top of the ladder, pointing to the box in question. "It'll make it easier to put up on the shelf."

Sighing, the Captain did as she requested, hefting one of the many containers from the ground and lifting it up to her. With a grunt she placed it on the corresponding shelf, wiping her hands together afterwards in satisfaction.

"Perfect. Now that that's done I can help with lunch." She concluded, hopping down off the ladder and shooting him a happy smile as she passed him. For a moment, Law simply stood there and blinked, glaring at the nearby boxes as if they'd directly caused this mess.

A strong urge to kick something flashed through him.

* * *

 

"I'd love to stay and talk but I forgot to help brush Bepo last week and I don't want him to get matts in his fur!" She cried, waving as she briskly walked by in the hall, her footsteps echoing off the metal floors of the submarine.

It took all of his strength not to bang his head against the wall repeatedly.

* * *

 

"The deck looks like it needs a good mopping."

* * *

 

"Honestly, when's the last time anyone's disinfected the training equipment? I'm afraid to touch any of it. I'll just clean it myself then."

* * *

 

"Some of the others were going to train, I think I'll join them."

After about the tenth chore of the day, Law had had enough. It was already past dinnertime, everything that could have possibly been done on the sub finished, cleaned, or counted. Every inch of the place was spotless, there weren't any other clothes to wash, even the infirmary's tools had been disinfected.

Being cockblocked for hours on end was a taxing experience, but Law was determined to get his way. And it came after Lexi spent an hour or so training her skills with the other members of the crew. Law had retired for the night, intent on catching her when she returned to their shared quarters.

As he expected, the door cracked open and the brunette wandered inside, looking positively spent, a sheen of sweat mark her forehead.

"You've been quite busy today." Law commented neutrally, as if only making small talk. It was more of a testing the waters sort of topic. Just to be sure there was nothing else ridiculous that she felt the need to do today.

Sighing heavily, Lexi nodded, taking off her shoes and tossing them next to Law's own sitting by his desk. "Mhmm. Sleep sounds amazing right now."

Amused, Law wondered what she'd think about his own plans for that night, seeing as it was the exact opposite of sleep.

"Shower first." She muttered, more to herself than anything, before slipping away into the attached bathroom and closing the cloth curtain covering the doorway behind her. Eyeing the barrier with the very last shred of his patience, Law heard the rustling of Lexi's clothes being taken off, the sound of running water following a few moments later.

That's it. The mental image of her naked body was enough to make him throw any hesitation out of his mind, and he stood from the bed. He'd been on edge since that morning, and it was entirely her fault.

Shifting the curtain aside, he stepped into the bathroom and saw that the glass of the shower had already fogged up from the hot water, seeing only the darker silhouette of Lexi as she washed her hair. She gave no indication that she'd seen him enter. His amused grin returned as he began stripping off his own clothing as silently as possible.

* * *

 

There was nothing better than a hot shower after getting all sweaty and dirty, Lexi thought, eyes closed to the wonderful sensation of washing away all the grime and exertion of the day. While she believed the plan had worked perfectly, it still took a hell of a lot out of her, a whole lot more work than she'd anticipated.

At least she won the bet. Shachi owed her a lot of money for this. Ha, that outta teach him never to doubt her again. Or…technically, Law. He was the one being tested all day after all. Of course, now she simply waited to be punished for the results of her actions.

Even she'd been impressed that Law had lasted an entire day of being sexually frustrated and ignored. Her wager had only been six hours, but he'd gone above and beyond that time frame. Shachi, having no faith in his Captain whatsoever, had bet that their fearless leader wouldn't be able to last three.

Lexi was willing to bet his own pride as a man was fueling his resistance to simply give into his urges and stop whatever it was she'd been doing at the time. Also the fact that things were getting done in terms of work probably had an effect on it. Grinning at the mental image of a flustered Law barely holding it together just because he was supposed to be the 'big, bad, scary pirate' was just too funny.

The brunette dipped her head under the stream of water to rinse out the shampoo, closing her eyes as the hot water ran down her face. Her fingers scrubbed at the strands, smoothing out all of the excess product, massaging her scalp roughly to relieve some of the tension.

Sighing through her nose, eyes still closed from the soapy water in her face, she reached blindly behind her for the bottle of conditioner she knew was there, hand searching back and forth for the cold plastic.

What she touched instead was a very hot, smooth chest that was suddenly very close behind her. Her unexpected guest made her jump, pulling her hand back hurriedly in the process, but before she could even think, strong hands gripped her arms and pushed her back against the cold wall of the shower.

His chest trapped her hands between them, forcing her to run her fingers over his heated skin, a vastly different contrast to the chilled surface against her back that made her open her mouth in a loud gasp. "What-" His lips sealed hers in a deep kiss and cut off the rest of whatever she'd tried to say.

The water continued down on the two of them, hot streams running down their chests to the ground below. Law's hands traveled the path of water either side of her breasts, leisurely stroking the bare skin as their kiss never broke. Lexi shivered both with anticipation at his touch, promising so many dark and wonderful things, and the still-cold wall at her back that raised multitudes of goosebumps across her flesh.

When his fingers trailed to the peak of her breast, absently flicking the nipple with his thumb, the brunette arched her back towards him, moaning into his mouth to let her pleasure be known. Without even having to look she could feel his pleased smirk against her lips. He'd always liked the sounds she made.

The sensations never ceased, switching from rolling her nipples between his fingers and kneading her breast roughly. All the while, Lexi twitched and struggled to keep up with his lips moving against hers in a dominating battle of passion and retribution.

Breaking away for air, Lexi gasped out breathlessly. "Law-" She tried to say in a ragged voice, but he continued his onslaught of pleasure without apology, one hand snaking up to tilt back her chin, exposing the soft skin of her neck to his lips. The other never ceased it's ministrations on her breast, further increasing that excitement growing within her loins. Whatever she'd tried to say died on her tongue with the feelings shooting through her body in ways her mind couldn't quite keep up with.

Lexi's body felt as if it were on fire, a blaze not even the shower could put out, the heat growing with each touch and kiss against her skin. To go up in flames had never felt so magnificent.

Her hands freed themselves from between their bodies and drifted up his shoulders into his hair, fisting the strands to anchor herself as his lips perused underneath her jaw. They licked a path close to her ear, and with every especially sensitive spot she would give a sharp tug, a silent plea not to stop. His breath ghosted on the shell of her ear for an agonizing moment, too long a moment.

She tensed with ragged, bated breaths, waiting for him to continue making her feel good, but when he simply hovered over the same spot, as if intentionally prolonging her yearning for more, she huffed irritatedly and moved her hips to brush against his own growing lust with impatience.

"Stop the fucking teasing…" The brunette hissed, in a hurry as always to find her own release. Once the dam that was her patience began to crack, there was no slowing down. Slipping a hand from his hair, she trailed her fingers down his tattooed chest, savoring his hardened muscles along the way, reaching lower to stroke his hard member that pushed against her thigh. Lexi felt Law's breath hitch against her neck, and the muscles in his shoulders tensed for a moment. He growled, and leaned forward to harshly bite her earlobe in retaliation.

The hand previously occupied with lavishing her breasts flashed out and seized her wrist, forcing her hand away from him and pinning it to the wall beside her head with a loud thud. It was rough and angry, a combination Lexi found was all the more alluring. Law pulled away, flashing her a dark and mischievous smirk. "Wait your turn." He muttered huskily. It was a casual reminder that this was not love, or lust, but a punishment, and he'd continue to torture her as he saw fit. Her fingers flexed tightly against his hold, yearning to reach out and touch him again, but his grip was strong.

His lips returning to hers in a heated kiss, his tongue pushing past her lips to taste her, like a starving man given a banquet. This time, no longer stunned from his initial intrusion of her shower, she kept a firm hold in his hair with her free hand, pulling him closer as she pushed as much force as she could into their kiss. Law refused to give. Lexi fought valiantly. Nevertheless, she could never manage to take control, no matter how hard she tried.

His low chuckle against her lips was the only indication he knew what she was trying to do, so she tried using the element of surprise. Smirking with delight, she bit down on his lower lip and slowly pulled away, never releasing him from her teeth. Her actions elicited a needy groan, and the next instant his hand let go of her wrist. Not expecting him to relinquish her arm, she cracked open her eyes and gasped just in time to see him lean down enough to wrap his arms underneath her thighs, hoisting her up with ease to press harder against the wall again.

Lexi's legs automatically wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer to her center. Not one to shirk her partner, Lexi's hips started a steady pace grinding against his own, holding onto his shoulders to keep her steady. Both groaned aloud, and Lexi's eyes fluttered shut, her breathing heavy and shaky. The captain's fingers dug circles into her ass, stroking the flesh in tight patterns as he squeezed and kneaded.

Frowning, the brunette let out a frustrated and demanding moan. All these touches promised a whisper of pleasure, but nowhere near the amount she was craving, the amount she needed. Her body  _needed_  more.

"Law…" Came her breathless whisper, eyes becoming half-shuttered as she gazed at the man before her. Those gray eyes held as much want and lust as her own, and he understood what she was asking without words. Neither of them were ever big on talking during their sessions. It simply got in the way. Their pleasure always came first.

Without a word, he lined himself up with her center, the water helping to slick up their bodies, adjusting his hold on her thighs for support. Then, with a grin and a dark chuckle, he slid into her with excruciatingly leisurely thrust, intentionally leaving her feeling a mixture of pleasure and impatience all at once.

Law let loose a pent up breath as he pulled back and repeated the sluggish movement. Lexi couldn't help but sigh pleasurably, her nails digging into his shoulders. The sensation of him filling her knocked her breath away, and she squeezed her thighs to get him to go faster, but Law did no such thing, instead leaning his forehead on hers as he adopted the slow pace he was so keen to torture her with.

If this were any other situation, Lexi probably would have been fine with the easy start to their…activities. This, however, was nothing short of agony. With each easy thrust he left her sated yet wanting so much more, even as his own breathing was becoming heavier with every union, ignoring the urge to finish her right then.

Lexi's head fell back onto the wall, feeling the  _extremely_  slow build to her release, her own thrusting hips to meet his doing nothing to speed the process along. "Please…" Was her passionate cry, panting with physical effort of trying to reach her finish. Silently, he lowered his forehead to her chest, parallel to her collar bone.

Something in Law must have decided to relent, to give into her wishes, because he let out a particularly long, shaky sigh as he gripped tighter to her thighs, minutely changing his angle to hit a different spot deep within. Like a switch, he increased his pace, their hips meeting in a fervor that Lexi had yearned for. This new angle seemed to hit just right, stretching her to a new toe-curling degree.

Gasping and panting for air with each thrust, Lexi's heels dug into his back, encouraging him on. The water streamed over them, running down Lexi's face and Law's hair. Neither felt the heat from the shower anymore, instead the sweat of their exertions left them hot and barely aware that they were still even in the shower at all.

That crescendoing coiling in the pit of her stomach was accompanied by a stream of nonsensical moans and uttering of his name, combined with a whole other slew of curse words. Her release was so close, she could feel it right on the brink. Even Law was breathing heavy with his thrusts, determined to push her over the edge before following after.

With a few final thrusts Lexi's entire body tensed and she cried out, her legs tightening around his hips in a painful vice, pulling him deep into her as her muscles spasmed. The captain continued on for several more sharp digs, searching for his own release with bated breath. The clenching of her walls helped bring him there, and he tensed against her with a low groan, leaning into her chest to bite her shoulder as he released into her.

For several moments they remained as they were, Lexi trembling around his waist as she gasped for much-needed air. Eyes closed and chest heaving, she felt Law's hot breaths against her breast. Slowly, she untangled her legs from his waist and he gently set her onto her own feet again. Bracing herself against the wall so she wouldn't collapse, Lexi brushed aside her wet hair.

Law's hand wrapped around her waist and kept her there against the shower wall, taking a moment to relish the feel of the slowly-chilling water to wash over him. They both opened their eyes when Lexi began to chuckle under her breath.

"I could get used to receiving that sort of punishment." Was her lusty response, eyeing him with the lingering lust from their session of heated exertion. Smirking lazily, Law leaned down and kissed her, reaching over to turn off the water that was no longer doing anything of use.

"Don't think I've quite finished with you." He replied as he gripped her wrist again, backing away to open the door of the shower with her in tow. Bypassing the towels on the rack, he turned to face her again.

"Wha!" Lexi's shriek echoed in the bathroom as he leaned down and picked her up by the waist, throwing her halfway over his shoulder with a grunt. "Law!" She giggled, pretending to kick her feet and try to escape. He ignored her attempts and stepped in the direction of the bedroom where he was fully intent on continuing where they'd left off.

His only reply was a chuckle, giving her ass a hard smack as he brought them both over to his bed. This was going to be a long night.


	12. What Took You So Long?

The chains holding her arms above her head clanked as Lexi shifted from her kneeling position on the concrete floor to something marginally more comfortable. Tucking her legs to her side, the brunette slumped as much as she could, which honestly wasn't much, given her arms were forced to dangle by the wrists from the ceiling, forcing her into a half crouch, half knelt position at all times. The pose made her back ache something fierce, though remaining immobile for several days in such a place would do that to you.

Her body shivered, cold from the damp cell, coupled with the lack of clothing. They had stripped her down to her bra and underwear, not even a pair of socks to prevent hypothermia from turning her toes blue. Had it been any colder on the island, or had the marine base been not so low in elevation, she would have feared losing some of her more distal extremities during the cold nights.

A groan of pain escaped her lips, both from the aching back and the long bruises from the whip they'd lashed her back with. Even hours later, they still stung from where the leather had smacked at her skin. With each twist of her back she could feel the crusted blood over each welt that had cut just a little too deep. The sticky feeling of long-dried tears stained her cheeks, eyes red from the crying she couldn't help but do.

Somewhere further on, a metal door opened, and the leathery thud of boots against the concrete floor grew steadily closer, slow and methodical, just like the man they belonged to. Lexi shuddered in place, taking as deep a breath she could before her ribs began to ache from the punches. With each step, she could feel her heart beat in rhythm, hammering against her chest with growing fear.

She didn't bother to look up from the floor as the feet stopped just outside the barred cell, the sound of a pair of keys jangling as they inserted themselves into the lock, and the metallic grating of the metal door sliding open, then closed again.

"Well, well. I'm surprised you're still awake after this afternoon." The deep male voice chuckled, amused and smug all in one. Still, she refused to look up into his cold, unforgiving eyes, refused to offer him even that much. If he wanted to see her fear, well, to hell with him.

Lexi's labored breathing was her only response, and her captor didn't seem to expect much more, seeing as he chuckled and stepped a few feet closer to her so his feet stopped just inches away from her knees.

The man leaned down, so close she could feel his breath against the back of her neck. "Look, I admire your…bravery, if you want to call it that," he started again, sighing as if this whole conversation already bored him, "but honestly, you're just throwing your life away if you keep this up. You're not going to be able to hold out forever."

Lexi focused on taking even breaths, in and out, biting her tongue so as not to speak. She had yet to utter a word during her several days of captivity, though she'd screamed plenty, thanks to their…hospitality.

"I feel sympathy for you. Really, I do." He continued, using that 'sincere' tone he'd used so often before. He stood again, walking circles around her crouched form. "I mean, abandoned by your crew, no word on any sort of attempt to rescue you, it's been several days already. Don't you think if that rookie really cared about you at all, he'd at least have tried to save you by now?"

Head still turned down to the floor, Lexi rolled her eyes, tired already of his 'good cop attitude.' Her matted, oily hair drooped down around her face, shielding her expression from his gaze, but he just kept talking like she wasn't even there.

"And you know? You have every right to be angry. We've tortured you, no way around that. But come on. You really think this pirate is worth it? The man who was supposedly going to protect you? Keep you safe?" He chuckled incredulously, as if he couldn't even believe the words himself. "He's a pirate. The people around him are expendable, and as much as it hurts to say it, that includes you. I can tell you're smarter than that, sweetheart."

At the insults to her Captain, Lexi's hands clenched of their own volition, angered that he thought he could speak about him in such a way, as if he were any better than the pirates he tortured and hunted every day. If he noticed the small token of aggression on her part, he didn't mention it or react.

"Why keep torturing yourself like this? Why risk your life for his pathetic, lying, backstabbing ass and just put an end to all this?" He sympathized, stopping to crouch in front of her once again. "We only need a few names. Just a few places from you and this can all be a bad memory."

Still, her silence persisted. If he thought days of torture, those honeyed promises and a smile so fake she could practically see the malice hiding behind it, then the marines were bigger dumbasses than she thought. If she really thought that they'd just let her go after she spilled all the information of the Heart Pirates' whereabouts, let her waltz right outside and live a happy, carefree life, then they must have thought that  _she_  was a dumbass as well.

She murmured under her breath, swaying as she tried once again in vain to pop her back or make the ache go away. The chains clinked against one another again, and the marine leaned in closer.

"One more time, sweetheart? I didn't quite hear that. Say it again, for me. A little louder." He whispered, reaching down to prop up her chin, and she met his eyes for the first time.

Lexi's eyes were sad, holding all the hurt and pain and fear that was typical of a torture victim, and she spent a few seconds cementing that in his mind, that he was on the verge of breaking her. He leaned closer, smile widening in a welcoming gesture, urging her to continue.

And then she spat in his face violently, baring her teeth in as menacing and vicious a way she could manage, which was fairly bestial, considering with her matted hair and dirty, bloodied skin she was halfway to looking like an animal anyways. He yanked his face away, stepping back out of her reach as she pulled on her chains with as much strength as she could muster.

"Go to hell…" She muttered venomously, the insult sounded grated and dry from her dehydrated state. He stood there, touching his face in shock, before the surprise and sympathy from before washed away in a single instant, replaced by rage and seething hatred as he round on her and backhanded her face. The blow echoed with a smack in the cell, and her head was wrenched to the side from the force of it.

"Do you know how many pirates I've broken in my years of service?" He threatened in little more than a whisper. Lexi could only half listen as she was reeling from the stinging on her face, but what broke her thoughts of pain was the hand squeezing under her chin, gripping with such a force that it began to hurt with every breath. "Do you have any idea the sort of pain I could put you through?"

She choked out a grunt, trying to close her mouth but his hand was holding her jaw open from below. The burning anger in his eyes almost matched her own, and he shook her face for emphasis.

"I've seen much tougher, much crueler men than you beg for mercy, beg for  _death,"_  he bit out, baring his teeth to her face, "and you think you can keep silent on where a fucking  _rookie_  is hiding out? Do you think this is a  _fucking game, you bitch?"_

He was squeezing her jaw with such force she thought she could hear the joints squeaking, but he finally let go and she went slack against her chains again. He took a few steps back while she worked her jaw, hoping that he hadn't broken it with his brute strength. It still ached to move it, but nothing seemed broken or out of alignment.

The man rubbed at his forehead, observing her for several tense seconds, the other hand propped on his hip as he thought. She stared up defiantly, finding that her fear had lowered to a ore tolerable level, so it didn't show in her eyes. Her immense hatred had trumped whatever terror he'd produced.

"My boss said you wouldn't be useful for very much longer, and frankly, I agree with him." He started again, reaching behind him for something on his belt, pulling out the knife that Lexi had come to be very well acquainted with over the past few days, as the still-healing slice wounds on her arms, legs, back, and chest were a testament to. He waggled it threateningly in the air between them, taking his sweet time with each step closer.

"I'm tired of having to ask nicely for the information, so today, we're going to try one last session. And it won't be so nice as these past ones have been."

Lexi refused to speak another word, and in retaliation, he crouched down again, his free hand shooting forward to take hold of her nest of hair, yanking her head backwards at a painful angle. She gritted her teeth and couldn't help the gasp of pain it sent through her neck.

The cold blade of the knife pressed delicately against the skin under her chin, lazily tracing lines back and forth, teasingly miming real cuts with each pass. " _You've got one last chance to talk, or I start slicing."_  Came his hissed threat, and she almost shuddered as the heat of his breath swept over her face, his nostrils flaring with each heavy breath.

Squashing the rapid acceleration of her heart within her chest, that rising feeling of panic slowly beginning to take over, she stared unblinking into his wide eyes giving him her final answer.

The fist in her hair tightened, and she could feel a few strands being broken, but the sound of screams and things being destroyed somewhere in the distance broke them both away from their thoughts.

He narrowed his eyes in confusion, loosening his grip on her hair and letting off on the knife just a little, before standing entirely. He tucked the knife back into his belt and pulled a den den mushi from his pocket, dialing a number and waiting only a few seconds before it was answered.

"What the hell is going on up there?" He shouted into the phone. Whoever was on the other end sounded frantic and scared, the sounds of death heard in the background.

"I-I don't know, sir! There's smoke everywhere and it's difficult to see, but it sounds like a-GAH-URGH!" The man cried out in pain, the call cutting out a few seconds later.

"Dammit!" Her captor cried out, stuffing the little snail back into his pocket. The sounds continued, gunshots ringing out through the air, and explosions rocking the ground around them. Lexi felt a wave of relief flood her system, as there could be only one thing all that noise could be.

A laugh erupted from deep within her parched and cracking throat, sounding more deranged than joyful as a smile twisted on her face. "You're so dead." She cheerily mocked, tilting her head back and forth with delight as she heard the sounds of destruction continue.

"You shut up, you bitch!" He shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at her. She simply grinned wider.

"Fuck. You."

The door further down the hall where her captor had come from exploded outwards, and Lexi could see debris fly so far as to go past her cell, sending dust, smoke, and bits of concrete all over the floor outside. A few bits even skittered against the wall and slid to a halt behind her, passing under the metal bars of her cell with ease. The marine cursed and pulled out his knife, hurriedly dashing behind her, and grabbed her hair again, jerking her head back to display her neck with the blade once again pressed to the skin. She could feel his hands shaking, his breath fast with panic or adrenaline.

There was a low hum in the air, and a strange yet familiar sensation of warm air passing through her body made her relax just a bit. The blue film expanded so fast past the boundaries of her cell that unless you were looking for it, you would have missed it.

There was the slow sound of footsteps against the concrete again, ominously coming closer and closer to her own cell, but Lexi felt no fear. Several steps later, and a tall man stepped into view in front of her cell door.

As usual, he held his sword lazily over one shoulder, slouching as he stood, as if he needn't draw the blade at all. Black, messy hair covered by his spotted hat, the bill partially covered his face in shadow. While his outward posture seemed relaxed and carefree, his expression was a blank mask of stern countenance, unreadable to those who didn't know him.

"Take another step and I'll slice her throat!" Her captor shouted, yanking her hair a little harder just to prove his point. She could feel the blade shake as his hand did, nervous and frightened of the pirate standing just outside the door.

The captain's eyes first locked onto the blade held against her throat, then the man holding it, before finally meeting her own gaze. He held it for several seconds, as if searching them for some secret meaning or message that only he would understand. His eyes remained expressionless, mouth downturned in a resting frown.

"Stay back!" The marine shouted again, failing to cover up the wobble in his voice.

The captain simply narrowed his eyes, which lowered to inspect the floor around them. Staying silent, he raised his free hand in front of him. "Shambles." He muttered, just loud enough for Lexi to hear.

Before the marine could react, Lexi felt the air around her shift, and only because she was paying attention, she saw a tiny piece of debris switch places with her captain outside the cell, falling to the ground with a tiny click. Behind her, she heard the marine call out in panic, before a warm and stick substance splattered across her exposed back, and the strangled, gurgled cries were instantly cut short.

Lexi only shuddered at the unpleasant feeling of blood across her back, noticing the detached head roll somewhere to her right, and the marine's body crash to the ground on her left. The knife fell harmlessly to the ground in front of her.

She slumped against the chains again, feeling safe now that the marine was taken care of. "What took you so long?" She croaked out, giving a tiny smile as Law walked around in front of her, crouching down beside the guard's body to search for the keys.

"We stopped to ask for directions." Came his sarcastic reply, face unamused as his hands dug in the man's pockets. He said it so nonchalantly, as if it were true, when she could see in her mind's eye the torture he'd probably put those marines through to find out her location. Suddenly pausing his search, he looking up and glared at her. "You disobeyed my orders to stay on the ship."

Lexi rolled her eyes. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me…Do you honestly think I was going to stay put when you were out there in danger? I can handle my own!"

Law narrowed his eyes again, giving a pointedly obvious glance around at the cell she was chained in. The silence was thick as he let his unspoken message resonate.  _This is you 'handling your own?' it said._ Relenting, she cocked her head with a shrug.

"Ok, so maybe  _this time_  I couldn't handle it. But I'm not some damsel in distress that needs to be kept out of danger. I'm still a part of this crew."

"Yes, you are." He agreed, finally giving up on trying to find the keys on the man. He couldn't be bothered to flip his body over just to try to locate them, so he stood, walking closer to her crouched position. "And yet you still directly ignored an order. Which ultimately got you captured. And tortured."

"Thanks for the recap, lest I forget." Came her sarcastic reply. Lexi sighed, feeling the exhaustion begin to wear on her from the days of discomfort and torture. She honestly wanted to do nothing except go back to the submarine and sleep for about a week. "It won't happen again."

"Of course it won't." He nodded slowly, holding his sword up and preparing to swing. Lexi closed her eyes, knowing that Law's Room was still in effect, but not really wanting to see the sight her wrists getting cut from her body, especially after all the abuse she'd suffered in the last few days. She felt a cool, numbing sensation that always accompanied Law using his ability on her, and she felt her hands fall to the floor at her feet just as the resistance from the chains gave way and she fell to the concrete on her full weight.

"Finally…" She muttered, wanting to stretch her back but knowing that it would probably open up more than a few of the lash wounds. Law knelt before her, picking up one of her severed hands and the corresponding wrist.

"Tell me everything they did." He demanded coldly, giving an angry glance to the marine's headless body as he reattached her hands. They fit perfectly back into place and the numbing sensation went away once more. One might have thought that the anger was directed at her, but she knew him well enough to know it was more of his worry, eyes scanning each and every wound that marked her skin with concern.

"Whippings, mostly. Beatings, starvation, dehydration. Nothing worse than that, though." She recited, feeling her other hand be put back in place. The facility shook with another explosion as something boomed off in the distance. Law and Lexi payed it no mind.

"Nothing else?" He reiterated, finally taking her face in his hands and staring into her face, as if daring her to lie to him. She met his gaze evenly, shaking her head truthfully. They hadn't done anything more than physical abuse, nothing sexual thankfully, and for as much as it had hurt, she'd endured just as bad as back in her world so long ago.

"Nothing." She promised, smiling genuinely. Then, it took on a more suggestive lilt, and her eyes became half lidded. "I'm still all yours, Law."

Lexi was glad she had use of her hands at that moment so she could grip Law's hoodie as he pulled her lips to his in a crushing kiss. It was unrelenting, and Lexi knew this to be his temporary punishment until he could fully put her in her place later on, after her wounds had healed, that was. It was a hot, fast, and hard kiss, full of his anger and anxiety that he'd felt for the past few days, thrown all into the sloppy and desperate kiss.

She returned it with equal emotion, but with much more relief than anger or hurt. She was just glad that he'd come for her, glad that today hadn't been her last sailing with her family, glad that she was back with those she loved.

He pulled away, slightly out of breath as he stared into her eyes with a hard look. "Ignore my orders again and you'll get a punishment much worse than this." He threatened, and she knew he wasn't referring to the kiss. Either way, his words were more empty threats than anything, seeing as his punishments were usually of the…sexual nature, and she usually ended up enjoying them in the long run anyways. Panting for breath, her grin returned, but her eyes were tired, feeling the dregs of sleep that she'd missed for several days begin to creep up on her.

"You got it, Captain." Came her sleepy reply, and she let out a sleepy yawn, eyes closing of their own volition.

She heard the shuffling of clothing and she opened her eyes to see Law had removed his hoodie, leaving him in a simple black shirt, and he held the outerwear out to her. "Put this on."

She did as instructed, reveling in the warm, soft material inside where it had been worn by him. The hem reached past her underwear, covering her up so as not to be indecent. She pushed her hands through the sleeves and felt Law wrap his arms around her back and under her knees. She grabbed his sword so he didn't have to carry it and he stood with her in tow. She narrowed her eyes at the back at her back, but said nothing of it, simply rested her head against his chest as he carried her out of the cell.

She fell asleep on the way to the sub, so tired not even the sounds of death and destruction all around her could wake her from her slumber.


	13. Nightmares

It was not often that something woke Lexi up in the middle of the night, especially after a long day's work. Law's bed was very comfy, much nicer than her bed at home ever was. There must have been an extra padded layer somewhere in his mattress, because Lexi never remembered having such good night sleeps before using his bed for herself.

Granted, she could be somewhat of a mattress-hog, but only because Law reluctantly allowed her. The way she saw it, if he wanted more space, he could always push her out of the way, or wake her up.

Not only did she hoard more space on the mattress, but it seemed she was in a perpetual state of feeling too cold, because on more than one occasion, she'd woken up wrapped like a burrito in the entirety of Law's comforter, leaving him uncovered with nothing but a pillow to his name. It wasn't her fault. How was she supposed to keep herself in check while lost in her subconscious?

So the battle for the bed was one waged on a regular basis, with Law sometimes resorting to pushing her onto the floor in order to have a reasonable amount of space to sleep, though more often than not without a blanket to keep him warm. He just couldn't seem to win.

Though, sometimes, when both of them were too tired to do much more than just lay there, Lexi wouldn't feel the need to spread everywhere her limbs would reach, and Law was in a better mood. The usual cause of this would be a tough battle earlier that day, ultimately leading to a Heart Pirate's victory, which always left the crew in good spirits afterwards. It was during those times that Lexi cuddled up close to him, leeching his body heat for herself, without having to fear that he would push her away or start something a bit more intimate.

Truthfully, she loved those moments most of all, just laying there, not having to say anything, and just feel him close. There were times when they'd even wake up still holding each other, which were even better, in her opinion. It afforded her a few minutes to see his sleeping face, without all the worry and stubbornness marking it.

But things were not always perfectly happy. Though Lexi did not know what exactly weighed on Law's mind, she could definitely tell there was something heavy dragging him down no matter how much he fought it. When she asked, he'd say he was fine, that the stress of the next battle, the next strategy were just getting to him. That might have been a part of it as well, but it didn't explain the apparent sorrow she could sometimes catch a glimpse of when he thought she wasn't looking.

Lexi worried. She couldn't help it, really, it was all she could do. Without knowing exactly what it was that plagued him, how was she supposed to help? All this secrecy…whatever had happened or whatever he'd done in the past certainly had taken it's toll on his mental state.

Sure, Law could keep it in check during the day, pretending everything was alright by hiding it behind that blank countenance, but at night when he wasn't fully aware the walls crumbled little by little, to the point where Lexi was able to glean bits and pieces of what was really going on. Not enough to understand, but more than she'd first known.

The first night it happened, Lexi had drank too much coffee, and couldn't bring herself to fall asleep no matter how much she tossed and turned, counting sheep or otherwise. Out of courtesy, she tried to keep the movement to a minimum so Law's own rest wouldn't be interrupted, but after several hours of nothing, she was beginning to get restless.

It was then she noticed that Law was shaking, and whispering things under his breath, low enough that she couldn't decipher the words. With a frown, she stilled and listened closer.

"Don't…" He'd said in a quiet hiss, and at that point Lexi reached forward to shake his shoulder.

"Law?" She asked quietly, trying to rouse him from the upsetting nightmare he was stuck in. If the deep frown and quick rise and fall of his chest was anything to go by, it must have been a pretty bad dream. Only a moment after her hand made contact with his skin, she was pushed forcefully into the mattress, Law's hands holding down her wrists to the bed, hovering over her with a panicked expression.

Breathing heavily, Law's eyes looked over her as if seeing her for the first time. This sudden attack left her speechless, and she stared up wide-eyed at him, afraid he wouldn't recognize her.

"Hey…you ok?" She tried asking softly, seeing him visibly flinch at the words. As if snapping out of a trance, he released her wrists and rocked back to sit at the edge of the bed, his head in his hands and elbows resting against his knees.

"…" He said nothing, sighing deeply with a shaky breath. Slowly, hesitantly, Lexi sat up, rubbing her wrists at the sensation of his hands holding them down fading away. She stared at his back, watching the agitation in every tense muscle.

"Law…" She tried again, reaching forward to touch his back gently. "Talk to me…" Again, when their skin connected, his entire back tensed, muscles contracting tightly. Worried she had done something wrong, Lexi almost pulled back, but Law didn't stand to break the contact or tell her to stop, so she slowly traced her fingers down the black tattoo of his jolly roger, hoping to sooth his tension.

Still, he didn't respond, instead running his hands through his hair to smooth it down in a similar way she trailed her fingers down his back.

"What was the nightmare about?" Lexi ventured to ask, not expecting a reply, but wanting him to know that she was concerned. Slowly putting more pressure into her touch, she placed her palm flat against his skin to rub it gently. It was hard to tell if her ministrations had any part of it, but eventually Law's breathing evened out to a steady inhale and exhale. His shoulders were also no longer shaking.

After several minutes of no reply, he sighed again and stood, prompting her to drop her hand back to the bed. "Nothing." He said quietly, walking off into the bathroom alone.

Silently, she closed her eyes in disappointment, not being able to help the hurt that he didn't feel the need to lean on her for support. She certainly leaned on him, for her continued education in the medical field, all the way to when the nightmares of Logan came back, as they occasionally did, and he would patiently bring her head to his chest to cry silently. While she didn't expect quite that dramatic of an episode from Law, Lexi still felt that he could at least let her help in some way.

The sound of Law emerging from the bathroom snapped her out of her thoughts, and she realized she'd remained sitting on the bed, staring into the dark bedroom gloomily. Lexi looked up in time to see Law heading towards the door to the hall. Without sparing her a glance, he opened it and disappeared behind it, the soft sounds of his steps growing more and more distant in the hallway outside.

With one glance at the clock beside the bed, which stated that it was just a little past 2 in the morning, Lexi sighed and reluctantly lay herself back down in the bed. If she were to venture a guess, she'd assume he was heading to the infirmary, where he could bury himself in medical books until the time came for the crew to get up. Apparently, Law didn't think he'd be getting anymore sleep that night anyways.

Lexi was too concerned he'd snap at her if she brought the issue up, and Law himself never mentioned it to her again, and they proceeded as they normally did without discussing the issue. But Lexi always wondered what exactly she could do to help him when his nightmares did come.

While they were infrequent, they still came and went every month or so, prompting the same, rather, similar results each time. While Lexi no longer tried waking him up when he was thrown in a fit of shivering and whispering, she still tried to reassure him when he eventually woke from them, running her hand along his back in the same way her mother used to do to cheer her up as a kid.

Law rarely ever went back to sleep afterwards, but sometimes he would, never mentioning the fits of unease to her in the morning. These episodes went on for months, leading Lexi to believe they'd been happening for a very long time already. She wondered just how long.

It still confused her how quick she was to wake up while he was having one of his nightmares. After all, Lexi, and even Law himself, would describe her as a heavy sleeper. But without fail, she always woke to the feel of his shivering form beside her, and she was always there to comfort him as best she could.

Tonight was one of those nights, it would seem. Lexi groggily rubbed her eyes, feeling something wasn't quite right, but not able to place it. Then, she felt the bed shake a bit, and looked over to see Law's back to her, shoulders hunched in a position that looked uncomfortable. Already laying on her stomach, she sighed into her pillows quietly and snaked her hand through the comforter to place her hand at his back, slowly rubbing at the tattoo she knew was there.

Closing her eyes, she almost nodded off again, but another one of his more violent shivers snapped her consciousness back to the forefront. Scooting closer to him so she didn't have to reach so far, her hand continued the up and down motion, rubbing tiny circles with her thumb into his skin.

Miraculously, the whispering gradually subsided, and even the shaking slowly began to grow less and less pronounced, until he'd stopped entirely, the nightmare seemingly gone. Snapping open her eyes, she watched his back in the darkness of the room, watching the even rise and fall of his sides with each breath. It was the first time Law had slept through one of his nightmares. Not once had he not jerked awake or left the bed. He just…kept sleeping this time.

Smiling tiredly, Lexi continued to rub at his back until she slipped back into sleep again, the warmth of his skin drawing her closer.


	14. Glimpses

"Wait, don't turn it on yet, there's nothing to film."

"Shh! Penguin, shut up or we'll wake up Lexi-chan."

"Hey guys, what are you doing?"

"Bepo, go back to bed. We're just…um…"

"We're stealing this video camera thing and seeing what we can film with it. Maybe…even…put it in Lexi-chan's bedroom?"

"Baka! That's a stupid idea. She'll hear us enter the room, and that's invading the privacy of her bedroom. That's why…we put it in the shower. Besides, we'll get better video that way."

"Ah, you're right! What was I thinking before? Good idea."

"Um…I don't think Lexi will like that…"

"No one asked you!"

"…I'm sorry."

"So easily defeated!"

* * *

 

"Shit, she's gonna come back upstairs any minute now! Hurry up!"

"Shachi, you yelling at me isn't going to make me work any faster! I've almost got it…just gotta move some towels over and it should be good…"

"You sure it won't be blocked by anything?"

"Positive. We should get a clear shot right where it is."

"What are you guys doing?"

"Ah! Lexi-chan, we were…we were just-"

"Making sure we had enough towels for you to take your shower later!"

"…"

"…"

"Uh huh…"

"No, don't look!"

"It was just a prank!"

"Where did you even get…were you going to film me in the SHOWER!?"

"Run!"

"Save yourself!"

"YOU TWO ARE SO DEAD!"

* * *

 

"Guys, did you want anything more for breakfast? I'm going to be heading to the grocery store pretty soon here, so eat up what you can. There should be-is that my video camera?"

"Uh…no?"

"What did I tell you about using that? You lost your camera privileges!"

"Dammit…"

"Told you to hide it better, Penguin."

"Hand it over. Right now."

* * *

 

"What are you doing with that, Lexi-ya?"

"Well, since Idiot 1 and 2 are grounded for the time being, I figured I'd take a video of our little field trip to show them later. That way they don't complain too much about being left behind."

"Hmm…"

"You need to figure out a way to reign those two in. They almost took a video of me in the shower! What perverts…"

"Trust me, if I knew how to stop them, I'd have done it by now."

"You're the Captain, aren't you? Just punish them or something."

"Easier said then done. Most of the time they simply pick right back up where they left off doing whatever it was in the first place."

"Just great…For the peanut gallery sitting at home, you two need to knock things off!"

"…"

"Ok, see? Look at this. Didn't I tell you the view was awesome?"

"Indeed."

"The Greenbrier River was always one of my favorite places to go as a kid. My parents didn't take me too often, maybe once a summer, but it was some of the best times of my life."

"What makes it so great?"

"I don't know…It's peaceful…surrounded by nature…sometimes you'll see people tubing or rafting downstream. I guess there's not much that puts it apart from the rest of the rivers in West Virginia, but something about it just…I don't know. It's hard to explain. There's just something that calls to me here."

"It's just a river."

"Wow. Way to downplay it's personal meaning, Law. Thanks."

"Always at your service."

"That was me being sarcastic."

"I was aware."

"And this is me leaving you behind. Good luck finding a ride home on your own, hope you know how to hitch hike. Ah! Hey! Put me down!"

"No."

"Jerk! No, give me back the camera! Law, come on!

"Best view in the state, you say? I disagree."

"Stop filming my ass!"

* * *

 

"Oh, is that your mother's video camera?"

"Yeah, the boys found it downstairs when we were looking for the Halloween decorations."

"You know, I swear I've got video of you as a little baby, Lexi. All dressed up in your bumble bee costume, dragging along your bag of candy. Of course, you didn't realize you didn't have your pants on…"

"Nana-"

"Can we see it?"

"NO!"

"I think I've got it somewhere here…"

"NANA."

* * *

 

"Ok, is Shachi in position?"

"Yup, he's waiting right outside the door."

"You guys are gonna love this. I can't believe you've never pied someone in the face before! Greece sounds super boring."

"Well, now we can try this once we get back home."

"Shh! Shh, here she comes! …Lex! Come here, woman! I have to show you something.

"What?"

"Just come here!"

"What is it, Brittany?"

"It's over here, come outside."

"…SPLAT…"

"HAHAHAHA, YOU'RE FACE, Oh my god! I got that all on video! This is going on Youtube!"

"Sorry, Lexi-chan, Brittany-chan suggested it!"

"Hahahaha!"

"Oh, yeah…Ha ha. Real funny. Hey, guess what? I HATE YOU ALL! COME HERE!"

"Ew, gross! I don't want whipped cream in my hair! Go away! LEX, THIS JACKET IS WORTH $50!"

"So my face is worth less than your jacket!?"

"Totally! But I still love you, it's ok!"

"You are dead to me!"

* * *

 

"I love you soooooooo much, Lex. You're like my sister's sister. And I don't even  _have_  a sister, that's how much a love yooouuu."

"Really, Brittany? That much, huh?"

"Yeah…hey, do you think that guy…gave me a fake number?"

"Why would..hehehe…he do that?"

"Is it because I'm too pretty?"

"That might be it…Don't pout, maybe he was a jerk."

"Yeah…maybe…"

"Oh, you're gonna hate me so much when you wake up in the morning, hehehe…If you even remember this at all. Brit, what are you doing?"

"I'm calling that asshole who gave me the bad number."

"I don't think you should do that."

"Hey! You assface! Yeah, you! You gave me a shitty number and you're a jerk!"

"Brittany, stop!"

"I'm way too good for you, and I don't need you, and your stupid face!"

"…"

"…"

"He hung up on me…"

"Well…you were yelling at him."

"…I feel better now."

"Uh huh. Well, just delete that number from your phone now, ok?"

"Why? He was kind of hot…"

"Brittany, you're too drunk for this. Let's get you home now."

"But it's so far awwaayyy…"

"Alright, let's go, come on."

* * *

 

"Ok, so we're just outside Lexi-chan's room…and if you listen really quietly, you can hear her singing to herself. She's listening to that square thing, with wires sticking in her ears, so she can't hear us."

"…"

"Shachi, shut up, you can't hear it."

"I didn't say anything, Baka."

"Why are you sitting next to Lexi's door?"

"Go away, Bepo! Be quiet!"

"…I'm sorry…"

"…I want your leather studded kiss in the sand, I want your love…Love, love, love, I want your love…"

"Move over, I can't hear very well!"

"Shh!"

"I want your love and I want your revenge, you and me could write a bad romance, oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhh…"

"Ouch! You knelt on my hand, Penguin!"

"Did not, baka."

"Guys."

"Shut up, Bepo, we're trying to listen."

"Well, with you talking so loud we won't."

"Shut it! I'll punch you!"

"Says who?"

"Says me!"

"Uh…guys?"

"Quiet, Bepo!"

"Ahem."

"…"

"…Oh…hi, Lexi-chan.

"W-what brings you hear?"

"…This is my room."

"Oh, right! That's right, this is your room."

"We totally forgot."

"What's that thing in your pocket, Penguin?"

"Oh…it's nothing."

"Definitely nothing we shouldn't have."

"Nope. Nothing at all."

"…"

"…"

"…Hmm."

"Well, we'll just be on our way…"

"Give me the goddamn camera."

"ABORT MISSION. ABORT MISSION."

"SHACHI. PENGUIN. GET BACK HERE. WHERE ARE YOU EVEN FINDING THAT THING!?"


	15. Decisions, Decisions

Law glanced up at the brunette walking beside him through the market square, nose deep in one of her history books. It was a miracle she hadn't ran into someone already, seeing as she was so engrossed in her book. The only thing keeping her from doing so was Law himself, holding onto the sleeve of her shirt to pull her out of the way of oncoming people. Sighing, she shook his head and lead them through the square, list of needed items in hand.

The log pose for this island didn't take too long to set, only a few hours, and so Law had decided to stock up only lightly, seeing as the trip there hadn't taken very long to begin with. They were still mostly stocked up with supplies and food. Still, he had wanted to get out of the sub for awhile, feeling decidedly cramped in the metal walls.

Once again, he had to pull the brunette out of the way of another woman walking by in a hurry, carrying baskets of apples on her arms. To his surprise, Lexi deftly snatched one from the basket without looking up from her book, and to her credit the other woman didn't even seem to notice the theft, walking further away with purpose in her step.

"You should have told me if you were hungry. We could have stopped somewhere." Law commented, grinning at her petty criminal activity. He'd noticed an increase in Lexi's attempt to steal small things from the towns they visited.

"Hmm." She replied, holding the apple by the stem in her teeth so she could turn the page in her book. "It's just a snack."

"A snack you felt the need to steal?"

She shrugged, not really caring either way. "One apple's not gonna do much harm. She had, like, dozens more in that basket. Besides, it makes no difference whether I take it from her or steal it from the tree."

"My, how much you've changed since we first met." Law laughed under his breath, causing Lexi to look up from her book for the first time and give him that adorable head tilt of confusion.

"How so?"

Maneuvering them through another tight crowd, they were able to squeeze through to a less populated side of the market. Law looked pointedly at the apple she hadn't eaten yet. "I'd say you're beginning to embrace the fact that you're now a criminal in the eyes of the law."

Again, she gave a noncommittal shrug. "Well, if I'm already wanted, why not add a little more to my bounty, eh?"

Law laughed again, glad to see that she wasn't so opposed to the idea of having the title of 'pirate.' To say he was relieved was an understatement. At least she wouldn't get the idea of leaving the crew.

They walked in silence, Lexi eating her apple while still reading her book on this world's history, and Law paying for the remaining supplies they needed. The trip didn't take long, and by a little past lunchtime, they'd completed their chore, and were heading back to the submarine.

Having finished her first apple, tossing the core into a nearby garbage, (because littering was apparently listed higher than stealing in her idea of morals) Lexi deftly stole another from a fruit stand on their way back. The man was too busy helping customer to notice, and the crowd of people worked to her advantage, blocking the sight of most others who may have happened to be watching.

Holding the bag of supplies in one hand, Law shoved the other into the pocket of his pants, lazily scanning the crowd for any Marines that might happen to be there. Though, from the short log pose time this particular island had, perhaps the Marines felt it unnecessary to station any people here, seeing as travelers could pick up and sail off again in a matter of hours.

His eyes wandering around, he almost missed the way Lexi's apple began to change in her hand. The previously smooth, shiny red texture shifted into a matte, patterned blue color, and the stem lengthened, curling in on itself delicately. Fascinated by the sight, as he'd never before seen the rebirth process of a devil fruit, he could tear his eyes away.

Lexi, however, seemed completely oblivious to the fact that her apple had changed into something of a much more serious nature, as her attention was focused solely on her blasted book.

Law's eyes widened as she began to bring the fruit up to her mouth to take a bite from, not realizing the implications of eating it, now that it was no longer a normal apple.

Lexi was startled, dropping her book entirely, when Law's hand snatched up her wrist to stop her from eating her snack. "What the hell?" She asked, glaring at him in irritation.

"Think long and hard before you take a bite of that." He said cryptically, pointedly nodding towards her hand. Turning to see what he meant, she stared at the now-blue fruit with the strange patterning in her hands.

"What…is this? I swear I grabbed an apple."

Law stooped to pick up her forgotten book, placing it in the bag in his hands. He began walking again, glancing behind them in case anyone might have witnessed what Lexi now had. "That would be a devil fruit."

Her eyes widened in wonder, turning the fruit this way and that as she examined the famed item. "How'd I get it though? Wasn't that a normal fruit stand?"

Law shrugged, he himself examining it for any identifiable marks. "There can only be one of each devil fruit in the world." He saw her confused look, and the question on her lips, but rushed to stop that line of thinking. "No one knows why, or how, so there's no use asking."

She resolutely shut her mouth, now a little deflated. Law continued anyways.

"When a devil fruit user dies, their fruit is reborn into another one somewhere in the world. There's no telling where one will appear, or which one will become the new fruit. In this case, the apple you were about to eat."

"So…if I ate it, I would get the same powers as whoever had it last?"

"Exactly."

"Hmm…well which one is it?"

Law grinned. "That's the thing, there's no way to tell, really, unless you know what specific ones look like. I don't recognize that one, and it would be nearly impossible to determine which devil fruit user died in order for it to be reborn. Unless we found an archive of the known devil fruits and compared, there's no way to answer that."

Lexi pursed her lips, staring at the thing in her hands for several moments.

"If you choose to eat it, I won't stop you. Just keep in mind that there's no reversing your decision, you'll lose the ability to swim, and it'll draw a bigger target on your back from both marines and pirates alike." Law supplied, still keeping an eye out for other people around them. The road leading back to the harbor was practically empty, however, seeing as most were in the market square.

Lexi cocked her head to the side, thinking hard over her choices. A boost of power, granted, with no idea what it would be. The inability to swim. More people would be after her. A lot of things to weigh.

With a grimace, she shook her head and placed the fruit in the bag with the rest of the supplies. "Nah, I don't want that headache. Too many unknowns."

Law expected this outcome, and secured the fruit deeper into the bag, so no one would see as they made their way back to the sub. They were interrupted by Lexi's stomach grumbling loudly, and she pouted.

"I'm still hungry though…"

"Ask the chef to make you something when we get back."

She sighed, trudging on as they made their way closer to the harbor. Hopefully they had good stuff being prepared for lunch.


	16. Halfway Point Pt. 1

"So, what's this Sabaody place supposed to be?" Lexi asked, tucking her pistol into the holster on her hip. The few other members of the Heart Pirates that would be going ashore surrounded her, strapping themselves up with their own weapons, ensuring the quality hadn't degraded and searching for any rust that might have formed since they last checked them.

Molly, the only other female in the crew, straightened up from tying her shoes, grinning with great mirth. "Well, it's where all the paths from the first half of the Grand Line converge, so all the crews sailing end up here at some point. Though, today in particular is pretty strange, to say the least."

Lexi cocked her head in confusion, following the other brunette out the door as the crew trickled back into the mess hall to wait for the sub to resurface. "What do you mean?"

With a chuckle, Molly wrapped an arm around Lexi's shoulder and pulled her closer. "Were you this clueless back in your world, too?" She paused, as if expecting her to answer, but continued on anyway. "Well, you know how the Captain's part of the Worst Generation?"

"Yeah…" Lexi nodded, following thus far.

"There's 11 Supernovas in all, and all of them are nearing the end of their Grand Line sailing. More than likely, we'll see more than a few of them today."

Eyes widening, Lexi had no choice but to be dragged into the seat beside Molly in the mess hall, waiting for that familiar bumping and jostling of going above the waves of the ocean. Bepo's voice came over the intercom, then, giving them an update.

"Brace for resurface!"

Lexi held onto the table easily and waited through the back and forth and up and down motion of the resurface process, before everything seemed to stable out and settle back into normalcy. The crew waited patiently for several minutes, talking and conversing between one another before Bepo came back over the intercom. "Docking in progress."

There were several thumps and bumps as the sub docked at the port of the island, and most of the crew were up on their feet at this point, ready to set foot on the island for the first time. The buzzing of conversation never ceased, and Lexi found herself being dragged through the crowd of her comrades by the ever-enthusiastic Molly, towards the main hatch of the sub.

"Come on, slowpoke." She teased, securing a spot close to the door.

Once the sub was securely docked, the person up front opened the hatch and swung it open, revealing the outside deck of the sub, and beyond that, the island of Sabaody Archipelago.

"Wow…" Lexi found herself mumbling quietly, stepping out with the rest of the men to see the island in it's full glory. The place was…mystical. Out of all the words she could use to describe it, that was the most fitting. The tall mangrove trees soared high up, almost out of sight. Being used to smaller plant life, Lexi was floored to see just how large the trees on the island were, standing hundreds of feet tall and spanning dozens of feet across.

There were similar sounds of awe and amusement from the men around Molly and Lexi as they surveyed their surroundings, and a lone set of footsteps punctuated their wonder.

"Let's get going." Law's voice ordered, cutting through the stillness from his crew and effectively cutting the surreal moment short. He walked in front of the small group, heading towards the nearest section of the town.

"Aye, Captain!"

The crowd of pirates slowly descended onto the grassy island below, and as soon as Lexi's feet hit the grass, she gasped.

"It's so soft and bouncy…"

"Yup, this place has a lot of moisture built up underneath the island itself. It leaves the ground wet and soft all the time, and coupled with the air, it creates bubbles that float up from the ground." Molly added in. Lexi cocked her head with interest, staying behind the main crowd of men so they wouldn't accidentally get lost.

"You sure do know a lot about this place."

Molly closed her eyes and grinned. "Well, duh! I used to live here!"

"Really?"

"Mhmm!" She confirmed, glancing around the place with wonder. "I didn't start sailing around the Grand Line and a few of the Blues until a few years ago. That was before I joined with the Heart Pirates, of course, but up to that point I lived here with my mother."

Lexi took in the scenery with a new appreciation. It hadn't occurred to her that some of her crew mates may have come from island further down the Grand Line, as this world so called it, or that they would even land on some of their home islands. Law made it seem like he'd recruited them all from before the Grand Line even started.

The group of pirates made their way further into the mass of trees that comprised the island. Along the way, Molly pointed out landmarks and other points of interest to Lexi, knowing she was still a bit rusty on the historical aspect of this world. Any history lesson would help her out.

The crowds of people gathered around stores and stalls, side-street markets and vendors. It was positively alive with smiles and laughing children and mothers juggling grocery bags and men negotiating with merchants. Lexi wasn't sure where to look first, and ended up glancing everywhere, eyes never lingering on one thing for too long, lest she miss something equally fascinating.

Holly must have noticed her constant shifting, because the woman shoved her in the ribs with an elbow, laughing in amusement. "Hey, tone it down on the tourism, will you? We're supposed to be fearsome."

"Right…because bringing _me_ of all people along with the shore party was going to guarantee a fearsome impression." Lexi countered, shoving her hands in her pants pockets and reluctantly ceasing her wandering eyes. She was super curious, but Holly had a point. There were dangerous people in this place, and the last thing she wanted to do was inadvertently make herself a target.

The crew made their way along the path, passing by a large tree that declared this zone as Grove 52. She turned to Holly again. "How many Groves are there?"

"79 total. The island is divided into different zones, depending on the location. Groves 1 through 29 are what we call the Lawless Zone. Don't find yourself alone when going through there." The blonde warned.

"Hmm…I'll keep that in mind." Lexi nodded slowly, taking a mental note. Just in case.

Holly continued her explanation. "Groves 30 through 39 is the Amusement Park. 40 through 49 is all tourist stuff. Shops and whatnot." Lexi watched as she ticked them off with her fingers, head cocked as she thought of any she had missed. "50 through 59, where we are now, is all shipyards and harbors. Not too exciting. 60 through 69 is all Marine headquarters. Obviously, don't go there."

"Right." Lexi grinned, though mentally sweating as she realized that if anyone were to accidentally wander into the wrong place like that, it would be her. Her and her awful bad luck.

"Lastly, 70 through 79 is all hotels and housing. Though, with all the traffic the island gets there are a lot more hotels than there are actual houses." Holly gave a shrug. "Honestly, the population of residents isn't that high. Travelers make up a majority of those on the island."

"Is that where you used to live? In those groves?"

Holly nodded with a hum. "Grove 74 to be exact. There used to be this little block of tiny houses, kind of hidden away where the tourists couldn't see. It was pretty rundown, but not too bad a place."

Satisfied with this large chunk of information, Lexi mulled it over. Seemed like Sabaody was a fairly turbulent place, what with all the division in location. Seemed like a perfect storm of some sort. All it needed was a catalyst.

* * *

 

They'd walked for quite a distance, before they crossed a wide, wooden bridge that took them over into Grove 21. Lexi raised a brow, immediately noticing the change in scenery. It seemed the lawless zone was really known for it's reputation, since there was a distinct absence of large crowds of people. The huge, bustling crowds she'd seen before were now only handfuls of people, sticking mostly to the sides of the path as they walked. Seemed everyone here was on edge.

Law, however, walked ahead with no hesitation, cool and calm as ever, seemingly unperturbed that they had crossed into a more dangerous area of the island. After all, they had already made a name for themselves up to this point, so it was unlikely that someone would be too eager to start anything they wouldn't be able to finish.

Lexi trusted Law, and she was a pirate now too. She shouldn't be so skittish about things. Faintly touching the pistol in her holster, she grinned. In the months since she'd joined with the crew, it hadn't just been spent studying medicine, after all. Her skill with firearms had improved quite a degree as well. Enough to help her relax a little.

They didn't walk too much further into the grove, before Law stopped and looked around. He pointed to a small cafe down the road. "We'll stop there. Seems as good a place as any."

The group of Heart Pirates agreed, following after their Captain as he lead them over. The place was quite small, most of the seating outside with covered tables. Lexi found she quite enjoyed the atmosphere, experiencing the relative quiet of the afternoon. They all ate in companionable conversation, teasing and laughing with ease, before they'd had their fill of food.

"Lexi-ya, Shachi-ya, and Penguin-ya, stay with me. Bepo, find out when the log pose sets." He looked pointedly to the bear, who saluted with a determined expression. Then Law turned back to the crew. "The rest, learn what you can about who's on the island and what they're up to, also, replenish supplies in your department that may be low. Report back to the sub once you've finished, or I'll contact you should something change."

A handful of 'Aye, Captain!'s sounded out as the crew went off to do as they were instructed, leaving the exceptions to remain at Law's side lazily. Lexi sipped at the remainder of her iced tea, staring off to look at the Grove directly across from them, Grove 22. Even from this distance, Lexi watched as a couple of thugs followed after an unsuspecting person into an alley. She could only imagine what happened from there, as they disappeared from view.

"So, what's the plan, Captain?" Shachi asked with interest.

Law shrugged, before standing with a grin. "We'll relax here for a bit, see what we see." Standing from his spot at the table, he walked over to a pile of crates laying on the ground, sitting on the closest one in amusement. Lexi went to sit beside him, wondering what was so amusing about this place.

He leaned back comfortably, halfway resting on the wall behind him, and tipped his hat below his eyes. Lexi grinned. This man could take a nap practically anywhere, it seemed. She resorted to sitting cross legged on her box, while Shachi and Penguin stayed over by the covered tables, discussing some matter or another. From this distance, she couldn't hear their conversation.

* * *

 

Whether Law knew this would be the spot for some action to take place or not, it didn't take too long before a distant commotion began to grow louder and louder, with the screams of people alerting them that it was violent of some nature.

Lexi tried peering around the building they rested at, wondering what was going on, but Law only smirked wider from underneath the brim of his hat. "What do you think's going on?" She asked, curious to know herself. Maybe he did have an idea as to what it could be.

"Something interesting, probably." He muttered, finally sitting back straight on the crate and turning his head towards the sound.

It was much closer now, and before long, two men came flying around the corner, weapons drawn, battle stances ready, with the intent to kill behind them. A giant of a man, wielding what looked to be the equivalent of a metal tree trunk, raised his weapon high in the air, swinging it in an arc to swash down onto the ground. The resounding boom made Lexi jump in surprise.

The man's opponent, a lithe man wearing a bright blue mask and a white-spotted black shirt, jumped high into the air to dodge the attack, landing with his spinning blades attached to his arms at the ready. Lexi watched with awe at the battle, drawn by the unreal nature of these people. How could a man jump so high? How could a man be so large?

They continued this for several minutes, with Law watching in curiosity and interest. She joined in, if only because it was happening to close to them. Behind them, Lexi heard Penguin and Shachi walk closer, no doubt having been drawn by the commotion as well.

Out of nowhere, right before either of their weapons could connect, another man joined the fray, halting both of the attackers' advances before any damage was done. "If you wanna go wild, do it in the New World!" He cried in irritation. It was then that she noticed his deep purple cloak and knee-high boots, looking more like someone from the 'Three Musketeers' than a world made up of pirates.

The whole battle seemed to stop, stand still, as he interjected. They exchanged some words, before all three turned and began to walk in their direction, though aiming to go down the path right beside Lexi's little group.

She eyes all three men cautiously, knowing by their outfits and countenance alone that these were people who were probably a part of the Worst Generation that Holly had mentioned before. She wondered who they were, and how wary she should be of them.

"Things were just getting good, too…" Law said from beside her, eyeing the other men with intrigue. Lexi glanced between them, trying to determine what was about to go down. The group of fighters stopped, having heard him speaking, so Law continued, his grin growing with every word. "Drake-ya, how many people have you killed?"

Lexi watched as the man she assumed to be Drake stiffened, narrowing his eyes down at them. His hand twitched, as if instinctively wanting to reach for the axe or sword that was strapped to his waist, but suppressed the urge.

"Hmph." He muttered, walking forward once more. "Once we get to the other side, perhaps you'll find out."

Law said nothing more, watching as the three passed by and disappeared behind the building corner. Lexi was unsure what that whole interaction really meant, but it amazed her how a group of people trying to kill each other just a moment ago could remain so civil as they left. Who the hell were these people?

"I'm guessing…those were Supernovas?" She dared to question, and Law nodded slowly.

"X-Drake, Urouge, and Killer."

"…Killer? That's his name?" Her doubt was evident as she raised a brow, and Law laughed under his breath but nodded in affirmation. "Jeez, and I thought _Alexis_ was a lame name.

"Your full name is Alexis?" He questioned with interest, finally turning to look at her.

"Uh, yeah. Lexi's just a nickname." She shrugged, not seeing how it mattered anyways. "I prefer it over my real name though. Sounds too white-girlish, if you know what I mean."

Law frowned, narrowing his eyes, as he did not apparent know what she meant. The brunette sighed, waving away his curiosity.

"Nevermind. Common slang back in my world."

Still confused, but otherwise sated by her explanation, he reluctantly let the issue drop, before standing and brushing off the knees of his pants. "Well, shall we get going then?"

"Where to?" Penguin asked from behind them. The four of them stood and followed after Law, who was following after where the three men from earlier had gone.

"Nowhere in particular. Perhaps a bit of exploration would do us some good." Law said cryptically. Deciding not to ask, they all kept right at his heels, watching out for any more fights that might come their way.


	17. Halfway Point Pt. 2

Standing against the nearest building in irritation, Lexi crossed her arms and cocked her hip, waiting for the boys to leave the brothel. As Law had so casually defended, these places were apparently great ways to gather information, seeing as prostitutes held little loyalty to any single person-so long as the price was right.

Seeing as this place was the very _last_ kind she'd like to be in, Lexi had offered to wait outside until the three men were done with their… _investigating._ Who knew how long they'd be, so she resorted to just relaxing in the sun. The climate on this island was very warm, and she'd had to take off her hoodie from the heat, leaving her in nothing but a thinly-strapped, blue blouse and shorts.

Bepo, who'd returned from figuring out when the log pose would set, sat on the nearest bench beside her, watching out for any danger that may present itself. Though, he seemed to be staring excessively at a very strangely-dressed guy on the bench opposite of them. Following his gaze, she inspected the man more closely.

Blonde, with almost tribal-style tattoos above his eyes, he wore a white, billowing shirt and purple pants. Right underneath his chin was a black tattoo of a cross, and she examined him curiously. He seemed to be enthralled with these strange cards, placing them, wait, no… _floating them in midair_ directly in front of his face. Completely entranced by what he was doing, and wanting to know how he did it Lexi went against her better judgement, and Bepo's concerned look in her direction, by walking over towards him.

When she was only a few feet away, she stopped. Up closer now, and able to see more details, Lexi saw tendrils of some kind of…fiber? which propped the cards up, before fading away from sight before they reached the ground. What sort of strange ability did this guy have? Seeing as this magic trick of his didn't seem humanly possible, she assumed he had a devil fruit of some kind.

"How do you do that?" She asked suddenly. If he heard her, which Lexi was certain he did, he did not turn to regard her at all, simply continued placing his cards where they belonged. The muted footsteps of her bear companion indicated he had followed, just to be sure she would remain safe.

"It requires little concentration, but is a skill unique only to myself, I'm afraid. There would be minimal benefit in explaining it to you." Was the stranger's even answer. She pursed her lips and nodded slowly at this.

"Hmm, I see. Too bad, whatever all this is, it's pretty cool."

"Indeed."

"What exactly are you doing?"

"Examining the possibilities and outcomes of today. Fortune telling, in simpler terms."

Lexi perked up, placing her hands on her hips. "Oh, you're a fortune teller? Neat. Could you tell my fortune?"

"Umm, Lexi, I'm not sure this is a good idea…" Bepo muttered behind her, but she waved away his concern.

"I'm alright, Bepo. It's just a quick reading, right? I mean, what are the odds that you'll kill me?" She joked with a grin, turning to address him. Face never wavering from his mask of indifference, he drew the first card and briefly glanced at it.

"Chances of your death by my hand: 4%."

"…" She paused, deadpanning, then shrugged. Bepo was here in case anything happened. "Alright, I'm cool with those odds."

Bepo shuffled in place with worry. "But-"

"It'll be fine." Lexi reassured again. This guy didn't appear to mean her any harm, and looked to be more invested in his cards than her anyways. Not once had he even looked at her during this conversation. "So, you'll do it?"

Not to mention, the brunette had never had her fortune read, and it was something that she'd always wanted to experience, if only for experience's sake. A 4$ chance of dying? Hey, this world was dangerous all the time. Why not spice it up with a little more risk?

"There was an 86% chance you would ask me for a reading." He remarked offhandedly to himself, proceeding to take the cards off of their holders, one by one. "Yes, I will tell your fortune."

"Great, but you'll have to tell me how they work. I've never done one before."

He nodded slowly, shuffling the deck of cards in his hands over and over again. "Ask a specific question of me and I will draw for an answer. Or, if you'd rather, there is always a more general reading of what you have experienced, things you are experiencing now, and what is to come in your path of life."

"Hmm…" Lexi hummed, cocking her head in thought. "I wouldn't know where to start with the questions, so let's do the general reading."

"Very well." He agreed, shifting the grip on his deck with a flick of his wrist, changing the pattern of shuffling. After several moments of this, he blankly drew the first card at the top of the deck and placed it on the top-most holder.

"Wheel of fortune." He explained briefly, gaze flickering over to her for the first time. "Indicating your life is strongly connected to positive karma or luck, as well as many significant changes." He continued to the next card, placing it underneath and over to the left. "Your past: the Five of Cups. Indicating a grievance or loss, pain, and regret. A remarkable tragedy."

Lexi's excited smile seemed to fade just a moment. She'd taken this whole thing as little more than a joke, just something to pass the time, but that first card hit so close to the mark…Still, it could always be a coincidence. Most people had previous tragedies in their life, right?Before she could say or do anything, he continued on again by placing the second card.

"Your present…" He paused at first, staring at this card for a moment longer than the other. "Nine of Swords, indicating depression, anxiety, and nightmares. Feelings of fear and worry."

Lexi bit her lip, swallowing silently. How did he know these things? Weren't fortune tellers supposed to be fakes? This was turning out to be much more serious of a thing than she'd first expected. Whether he noticed her apparent doubt of if she should have done this reading or not, he didn't show it.

"Your future: Page of Wands. Indicating a period of discovery and free-spiritedness. Times of exploration." Finally drawing the final card, he placed it at the right-most peg, facial expression never having changed throughout the reading. Finished with his reading, he turned to regard her evenly. "Despite a bereaving past, the effects of which continue to remain, there is a brighter future in your cards."

Lexi glanced at her shoes, not quite sure how to respond to all that. Deciding that he had still taken the time to do the reading for her regardless of the outcome, she nodded with a faint smile. "Thanks, I guess that's a bit reassuring."

About to turn back and sit on the bench with Bepo, the man spoke up again eyes once more focused on his cards. "You are with the Surgeon's crew?"

"Uh…yeah." She replied, not quite sure if giving that information away was dangerous or not. Any person with a newspaper could look up her wanted poster anyways. The man placed more cards underneath the ones he'd drawn for her.

"It seems the probability of us meeting again is quite high. Though, with the danger that is surely to come, your odds of living to see tomorrow are only 62%."

Eyes widening, she watched as he stood, withdrawing all of his cards and stuffing them into his shirt pocket. He regarded her again with a blank expression, towering above her as his greater height became apparent.

"Perhaps listening to your companion's advice will help increase you chance of surviving. There are still many choices left to make which will determine your fate, after all." And with that cheery sentiment, he turned heel and walked off down the road.

Lexi and Bepo watched him go in silence, staring at his back until he disappeared from view behind a building. Shaking her head in both confusion and slight worry, the brunette wandered back over to their original bench and sat with a sigh.

"Who the hell was that guy?" The question wasn't for anyone in particular, but Bepo still answered.

"That was Basil Hawkins. He's another one of the eleven Supernovas. That's what I was trying to say earlier…" He stared after the man as well, thankful that nothing had happened to cause him anger. A pissed-off supernova was not something to be trifled with.

Her face turned blank, staring off into the distance. "…Just great. I seem to have a habit of making friends with people who are supposed to be my enemy. And hey, there's a remarkable chance I'll die today. This place is the _best._ "

* * *

 

"A _human_ auction!? Like…slavery!?"

Law gave her an irritated glare, walking beside her as they progressed towards wherever they were going next. "That is correct."

"Is that not illegal in this place?" Lexi couldn't seem to grasp the concept that such atrocity was still being practiced. Sure, she knew her world was messed up and all, but at least they'd solved _this_ simple problem, right? How different were human rights in this era? How common of a practice was it? Did Law…condone it?

Before she could voice any of these questions, he shook his head and rolled his eyes. Obviously her outrage was getting a bit annoying. "Compared to the acceptable social nuances of your world, Lexi-ya, I'm fairly certain there are a lot of things in mine that would appall you." he gave another sigh, seeing her worry increase. "Yes, slaves aren't that uncommon an occurrence in places like this, especially for nobles and high-ranking officials. It has everything to do with the structure of the World Government and the points of view they promote to the rest of the world"

"What kind of government lets these sort of things happen? Aren't they supposed to be protecting their people?" Behind her and the Captain, Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin walked silently, not really wanting to get into the political discussion going on.

"You're missing my point, though I agree with your line of thinking." Law replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets and slouching just a bit. "The World Government is only out to protect themselves and those who could be of some value to them. The more useful the asset, the better you're treated and protected.

"Disagree with their doctrine, and suddenly you're a threat." Law shrugged, as if only discussing the weather. "Seeing as the general public blindly agrees to whatever the government tells them, mob mentality kicks in and suddenly you find yourself an enemy of the whole world."

"Isn't there someplace to emigrate to, someplace where people with differences in opinion could live without fear of being killed or something? I mean, if someone disagrees with another government in my world, they can break off with followers and form their own autonomy."

"It's called the _World_ Government for a reason." He added bitterly, eyes narrowing just a smidge. "They don't like competition. Or dissenters."

"So then…if it's that dangerous…" She started, but Law beat her to her predictable question.

"For some, defying the government is worth the added risk of being dragged off to be hanged for treason, but staying in one place as you mentioned would make them an easy target. So they take to the seas, gathering like-minded people, and fend for themselves in freedom. Why do you think so many people have resorted to piracy in the first place?"

"…" Lexi thought that over. Well, when she really thought about it, it wasn't too deep out of the realm of possibility. There were a lot of governments back in her world that did more to build itself up than to improve the life of their people. Propaganda to further the government's own interests, twisting the narrative that their citizens believed. Forced labor, low wages, rationed supplies, black markets that overtook the actual economy of the country…The natural greed and wrath of mankind was enough to end up with outcomes like this, she supposed.

"So…" She pursed her lips, thinking over what they'd said. "I guess you guys would be more like freedom fighters than pirates?"

"Hell no!" Shachi spoke up behind them, making Lexi turn to meet his unimpressed expression. "We only care about this crew. No one else."

"If you're looking for freedom fighters, try the Revolutionary Army." Penguin added with a nod. "They're all into the 'save the world' stuff."

"Hmm." She hummed to herself, facing forwards again. This was a lot to think about and digest. Wanting to be sure she didn't get the wrong idea, Law gave her a sidelong glance.

"All we seek is the freedom to do what we want, just as you sought freedom from a life with little to no purpose. Whether that makes us the hero or villain makes no difference."

* * *

 

It had taken a lot of explaining on Law's part as to why they were actually going _to_ the auction house he'd mentioned before, but after defending that he was looking for strong fighters for the crew, and denying that he was going to keep them as slaves, Lexi finally agreed to go with them. She wanted to see just what sort of sick business this World Government was partaking in. Just how heinous their crimes were.

What disgusted her even more, however, was the fact that the majority of people around here didn't seem to _care_ that their brethren were being sold into lives of servitude and cruelty. Or, if they did, they did well to hide that fact. Perhaps the fear of being accused of treason, or as an enemy of the government, was stronger than their desire to change the social standard.

They neared the auction house, set firmly in the very center of Grove 1. The people that made up those wandering around began to look vastly different from those before. Instead of families and children enjoying the shops in the previous groves, there were only scruffy men, the extremely rich, or thugs and sailors who probably hadn't had a shower for some time.

Lexi wrinkled her nose a bit when she witnessed one reach into the back of his trousers to scratch a particularly hard to reach itch.

Spotting a drink vendor's stand not too far away, and also seeing the looming building that had a sickeningly blunt 'HUMAN' sign above the entrance, Lexi found her throat a bit parched, and turned to Law hopefully. "Think I could borrow some cash to grab a drink?" She asked, pointing to the stand in particular.

He followed her finger and nodded silently, pulling some beli from his pocket. Then, just as she was about to head off towards the stand, she heard him speak. "Bepo, stay with her."

"What, don't you trust me?" She feigned a hurt expression at his order, sticking out her bottom lip in a pout.

"It's everyone else I don't trust." He muttered, giving her a gentle shove in the direction of the stand. "Find us inside once you're done."

"Whatever." She grinned back, watching as Bepo came up beside her. They walked over to the vendor's stand, and he stood straighter behind his counter.

"Welcome! What can I get for you?" He asked, tugging at his curly mustache with a kind smile. Lexi returned it, looking through the box of drinks, chilling in ice. After discuss what the best kind of drink would be on a hot day like today, she settled on a kiwi punch, mixed with raspberry flavoring. It was sweet, yet slightly sour, just how she liked it. Paying for her treat, she followed Bepo as they approached the entrance to the auction house.

Feeling progressively more uneasy as they ascended the steps of the building, Bepo placed a gentle paw at her back, sensing the discomfort coming off her in waves. Smiling appreciatively, they passed through the threshold of the first arch and into the hall itself, where the lighting was dimmed and there was a hushed atmosphere.

"Hmm, must be that Surgeon's newest bitch." The brunette heard someone whisper nearby. "Looks kind of scraggly if you ask me."

With a turn of her head, she identified the source of the noise as the malicious-looking, redheaded man standing a few feet further down. He was surrounded by three other men, all just as…uniquely-dressed as him. Recognizing the list blue helmet from the scuffle earlier in the day, she tilted her her and regarded the obvious leader thoughtfully.

"Do we have a problem?" She questioned defiantly, having matured since the last time she'd dealt with men like this. That party back in college, when the unfortunate incident involving Cooper happened, had certainly taught her a lot about standing up for yourself. Lexi refused to be the damsel in distress again, and this…pirate would be no different.

"Seems like it. I've never been particularly fond of third-rate whores, to be honest." He replied with a twisted snarl. Lexi expected the men behind her to snicker or laugh, but they remained as stone-faced as before, as if their captain was simply reflecting on the weather. Or, as if they weren't necessarily fond of their captain's antics.

Lexi nodded slowly with a side-eye glance off into the distance, as if thinking about his statement. "That's a shame, seeing as they're probably the only ones with low enough standards to considering fucking you."

She expected an outburst of rage, or for a hand to shoot out and throttle her, but the redhead only laughed with that amused grin still in place. Seemed this wasn't your usual smug bastard.

"At least you're not some sniveling brat, I guess. Makes things more interesting." He sauntered forwards, and Lexi could practically feel the growl that Bepo gave from behind her. Eyeing the bear warily, the man stopped a couple feet away, arms crossed as he looked down on her. The distinct height difference probably would have intimidated any other female, but being around Law all the time, who also was much taller than her, made the idea a bit moot.

"The name's Eustass Kid." He introduced himself smugly, eyes not-so-subtly skirting down her face and just a bit lower, to the neckline of her tank top. From his tone, he obviously expected her to know who he was, but Lexi just shrugged the statement off.

"Great. Look, I should really get going." She said, taking another sip of her almost-forgotten drink. Starting to step away, she paused when he laughed again.

"That's right. Run along to your creepy-ass Captain, and maybe give him a message for me?"

She raised a brow, silently pissed that he'd insulted her Captain but was smart enough to keep it in check. Realizing he had her attention, he leaned in closer.

"Tell him if he keeps hiring freaks and whores like you, he'll never make it to the New World. Oh, and that he can go fu-ARGH!"

The rest of the would-be insult was cut off by Lexi's knee connecting forcefully into Kid's groin, forcing him to double over and clutch at the injured area. Lexi stepped away, watching casually as he scowled in her direction. She was unperturbed, though, and sipped delicately at her drink.

"Fucking bitch…" He snarled, moving as if to strike her, but the arm of his companion with the blue mask held him back.

"Let's try not to make a scene here. You can deal with it later." He reasoned in a surprisingly smooth voice. Lexi watched warily, standing a ways back from him just in case he decided to take matters into his own hands. After a moment of thought, and Killer's insistent pulling, Kid stood up straight, albeit with a visible wince, and shot her his best glare he could manage through the pain.

"Tch. Next time I see you, you're ass is dead."

"Mhmm." She replied in a doubtful monotone, walking away from the Eustass with a pleased smirk. Bepo, who'd been watching passively behind her up to that point, caught up with her while searching out their captain at the same time.

"I'm not sure that was the smartest thing to do…but I didn't like how he was insulting Captain like that." He admitted, frowning to himself as he thought about the whole exchange.

"Me either. No one calls our friends freaks and gets away with it." She agreed, spotting a familiar spotted hat and white boiler suits a few rows down. The two Heart Pirates made their way down the stairs and detoured into the row the rest of their friends were. Bepo, however, took his place in the row behind, accepting Law's sword when the supernova handed it to him. Lexi sat neatly beside him, pulling unconsciously at the hem of her tank top in an effort to hide more of her cleavage.

"What took you so long?" Law asked lazily, though his eyes were sharp as they glanced sidelong at her. Lexi shrugged, not thinking it mattered much.

"Oh, just met your friend Kid, who I'm assuming is another Supernova. Such a pleasure." She replied sarcastically. He raised a brow.

"What did Eustass-ya want?"

"Not too sure. After insinuating that I was a whore, he insulted you and the crew, so I sort of shut him up." This seemed to perk his interest, because his grin widened.

"And how did you manage that?"

Lexi took a long sip of the cool drink, swallowing before giving her answer. "I might have kneed him in the balls."

Law laughed with mirth, lounging deeper into his seat. Then, he checked over his shoulder to look at the pirate in question. Lexi watched as he seemed to get the redhead's attention, then proceeded to flip him off with a sly smirk and a head tilt, before turning back to the front of the hall.

"Nicely done." He complimented, focusing on the stage as the lights began to dim further and the music began to start up. Beside him, Lexi smiled with pride knowing that he'd approved of her likely very stupid actions from before, but was quickly distracted by the show beginning to say anything about it.


	18. Trick Or Treat?

Lexi deadpanned at the outfit, blinking in silence at the mirror in front of her as it fully donned on her what she was indeed wearing. Tugging uselessly at the black, skin-tight dress, which almost couldn't be  _called_  a dress based on it's lack of length, the brunette sighed in exasperation.

"Really, guys? A sexy cat? This is about the most cliche and overused costume you could have come up with." She called out from the dressing room, head shaking at the sight of the thing. The top neckline, which dipped low enough to show off a good amount of breast, was lined in white fur. Above them, wrapped around her neck, was the accessory choker necklace with a small bell attached. The whole thing looked ridiculous to the brunette wearing it.

The only other two female crew members, Holly and Ikkaku, giggled outside the door with mirth.

"It can't be  _that_  bad."

"Nē, Lexi-chan, let us see!" They encouraged, knocking excitedly at the dressing room door.

"Um…" She stared, turning slightly so she could see how it made her ass look, having to overlook the white, curled tail that stuck out just above the hem. "I don't know…" Honestly, where the hell had they gotten this thing? Lexi knew her ass looked better than her breasts, they always had in her opinion, but seeing as the fabric almost didn't cover the entirety of her biggest asset, she was hesitant to even step out of the dressing room in it, let alone actually purchase it.

"Aww, come on, hurry up! Let's see just how sexy a sexy cat can be, yeah?" Holly giggled again from outside the door, Ikkaku humming loudly in agreement.

Sighing audibly, Lexi tugged one more time at the bottom hem to bring it down just an inch more, before giving up entirely. It seemed she was stuck. Having no other choice than to show the two women, Lexi unlocked the door and peeked out from behind it.

"You have to promise not to laugh or anything." She pouted, slowly revealing herself from behind the door with a few steps. Holly and Ikkaku gasped aloud upon seeing the costume.

"Ooh! You look great, Lexi-chan. Very chic." Ikkaku gave a thumbs up and circled her friend in excitement, eyeing the dress up and down for any imperfections. "I'd say this is a winner."

Holly, standing a few feet further away, was practically salivating at the sight of her, a strange smile rapidly growing on her face. "Ahh…Lexi-chan, I could practically eat you up." She moaned aloud, holding her cheeks between her hands from the overflow of emotion.

Ikkaku giggled, pointing to Holly. "You can fantasize all you want, Holly, but you know just as well as I do. Lexi's straight."

Holly sighed dreamily with hearts in her eyes, practically melting to the floor as she stared at the brunette. "Haaahhh…but a girl can dream, can't she?"

"Tch, what am I going to do with her?" Ikkaku chuckled in amusement. Then, turning back to Lexi again, she nodded enthusiastically. "For what we have in mind, this is perfect! Let's get this one, and head back to the sub to get ready."

"Uh…are you sure?" Lexi questioned, tugging the neckline of the dress up just a little higher to cover a bit more cleavage. She wasn't used to showing so much skin.

"Absolutely! I mean, look! If a lesbian thinks you look hot in it, imagine what Captain would think about it!" So saying, Ikkaku spun Lexi by the shoulders and marched her straight back into the dressing room to get changed again.

Before Lexi could retort, however, the woman shut the door to give her privacy again. "We'll be waiting out here!" She called, walking off further away with Holly, no doubt to find the final touches on their own costumes.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Lexi bemoaned to herself, standing there in the skimpy costume with anxiety. Sure, the idea had seemed great at first, but, tugging at the curled tail poking out just above her ass…Well, best not to think too much about it now. There was no backing out.

* * *

 

It felt so much better to be back in her normal clothes again, but the hefty bag carrying the costume and few accessories the other women had insisted she buy kept returning her mind back to what they'd picked out for her. This was starting to feel more and more like shopping with Brittany way back when. And those outings had never ended well either.

Following behind Holly and Ikkaku, who talked to one another practically nonstop, she glanced around at the port city they'd docked at.

It had surprised her to a large degree that Law's world celebrated similar types of holidays to the ones that Lexi's world did, and so was rather elated to see Halloween-styled decorations everywhere she looked. Cutouts of ghosts and ghouls, monsters peeking out of the corners of windows, jack-o-lanterns en masse on porches and stone steps. The island itself, which was an eternally Autumn-seasoned climate, matched well with the theme of the holiday, as the tree leaves were crisp and dry, brightly colored with yellows and reds and oranges, and crunched beneath your feet when stepped on.

The townspeople, especially the children it seemed, were super into the holiday. Hallow's Eve was tomorrow, and yet dozens were already in their costumes in preparation.

Lexi bumped unexpectedly into Ikkaku's back, and she stepped back with a huff. "Oh! Sorry. I got distracted." Lexi apologize, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.

The woman in question laughed. "No worries." And with that, they continued towards the submarine, which was docked further down the harbor, away from the rest of the fishing boats owned by the townspeople.

They arrived after several minutes of walking, and ascended the gangplank to go inside. Almost as soon as they'd stepped through, they could once again smell the metal-sweat-and-disinfectant infused air of their yellow home. It had come to the point where Lexi almost missed not constantly having her nose assaulted by it.

The girls all split up to deposit their outfits in their rooms, leaving Lexi to herself once more. A relieved sigh passed her lips. As great as it was to get out and spend some time with the other women on the Heart Pirates crew, there was only so much she could take of the shopping and gossip. It got to be quite taxing after too long.

Heading off towards the Captain's Quarters, she nodded a greeting to the few men she passed by. A few looked quizzically at the bag she carried, but at least they couldn't see what was inside.  _That_  would be one hell of an explanation Lexi wasn't too thrilled on having to give.

At the end of the hall, she approached the door and opened without knocking. After several months of living with the Captain in his quarters, Lexi had free reign of the room, and could come and go as she pleased.

Stepping inside, the brunette was relieved to see that Law was not present, perhaps off in the infirmary working on reports or something. He tended to do so when bored. And, also had a habit of forgetting how much time actually passed some days. Good, she didn't want him asking too many questions at that moment anyways.

Depositing the bag at the back of their shared closet, behind a pile of her dirty clothing, Lexi left to go help some of the crew members with their duties. It wouldn't be tomorrow until she actually had to wear her costume anyways.

* * *

 

_The Next Day_

Lexi had intentionally waited until the very end of the day to even think about putting her costume on, despite half the crew wearing some form of costume or another, celebrating the spooky holiday with fervor. Of course, those who  _had_  dressed up in some way had already head off towards the bars and pubs of the town in an attempt to find their sexy counterpart for the evening, preferably one who enjoyed a bit of costumed role-play. Shachi, who was one such fellow, had explained to the brunette the finer points of picking up a hot single on such a holiday.

"Chicks dig the get-ups." He'd told her with a confident grin, adjusting his vampire's cape until it rested naturally on his shoulders. "You know, fulfills their deepest, darkest fantasies and all that." Lexi had given him a doubtful look, raising a brow at his explanation, but she'd said nothing more as he left with Penguin to visit the town.

Dinner was a bit sporadic that night, as half of the crew were not present on the sub, and those that were had eaten a large amount of candy throughout the day as an alternative way to celebrate, leaving nobody all that hungry, really. Lexi herself had resisted, knowing all that sugar was sure to go straight to her thighs, and so she ate as usual with the few crew members who had done the same.

Law himself seemed to show no interest in partaking in the festivities, though Lexi could have predicted that without there actually being a holiday happening. Having only taken a light meal for his supper, an apparent absence of bread on his plate Lexi noticed in amusement, the Captain had taken his leave and retreated back into his infirmary to finish up whatever he'd been working on the day before.

 _Hmm._  Lexi let her mind run as the scenario could go one of several ways that night, still intending to go through with what Ikkaku had hatched up.  _Maybe he won't even be interested at all. Maybe he just doesn't care about the holidays at all, or anything having to do with it._

Lexi could already see it: the disinterested glance in her direction, the frown of confusion on his face, paired with the one raised brow, as if he wondered if she were only joking. Biting her lip, the medic-in-training began to doubt her resolve, silently playing the very worst scenarios over in her mind. Was she only setting herself up to look a fool in front of him? This would definitely be the first time she'd ever gone to this extent in terms of foreplay or mixing things up in the bedroom.

Her quickly spiraling thoughts were interrupted by Holly and Ikkaku, sitting themselves across from her at the table and leaning close to speak somewhat privately.

"So? Have you planned what you're going to say?"

Holly nudged Lexi's shoulder is excitement. "Ah, what will your first move be? A bunch of teasing? Or straight for the end game?"

Ikkaku grinned with mirth, giggling quietly under her breath. "I doubt Captain will let her get all that far without him becoming-"

"Alright, alright!" Lexi hushed them, feeling eyes begin to glance their way and the heat of her blush spreading across the back of her neck. "I…haven't thought about what I'm gonna do. I'll figure it out once I get there."

Holly and Ikkaku seemed to deflate a little. "Tch, Lexi-chan, what's the fun in that if you don't have a game plan? A strategy?"

"Don't you want him to fu-" Holly started, but Lexi clamped a hand over the woman's mouth before she could continue.

"Shh! Not so loud!" Lexi huffed in a whisper, reluctantly taking her hand away from her friend.

This only served to make them laugh harder. "Shishishishishi, don't pretend to be so innocent, Lexi-chan. We've heard you moaning quite a few times in the middle of the night…or calling Captain's name pretty loudly."

"Ugh…" Lexi practically face planted into the table, sighing into the surface as her blush overtook the majority of her cheeks. "I'll never be able to live this down…" She moaned in embarrassment.

Thankfully, Holly and Ikkaku didn't stick around too much longer after that, going to put on their own costumes and hit the town with the same idea as the rest of the men in mind. Lexi pondered her situation for several more minutes in solitude, almost not noticing the others trickling out of the mess deck to either head to their beds or get a late start on the antics in the bars.

 _I guess they'd never know if I backed out of it._  She realized, knowing that they were probably off to get drunk and/or forget the entirety of the night by morning, thanks to good drinks and good sex. Whichever came first.

Still. She'd spent a good amount of money on that costume. And what other occasion would she have for wearing it besides Halloween? Lexi hated wasting money, a mindset she had yet to shake from her days living with Nana on a minimal budget. Eyes widening in mortification, Lexi felt her anxiety spike. What would Nana have to say about all this if she were still here?

 _Oh, going undercover, I see. Soldiers are suckers for a pretty face. You'll blend in wonderfully for this espionage mission, Lexi!_  Or even,  _I too used to put on fancy clothes for your grandfather. Oh, but he was blind as a bat, so it didn't end up mattering anyway, ehehehe!_

Feeling a grin spread across her face, Lexi laughed under her breath. Come to think of it, Nana had always been rather eccentric. What was one sexy costume to her? Probably nothing special or surprising. In fact, Nana herself did most of the surprising between the both of them.

Maybe Lexi was just being a stick in the mud, or a prude. It wasn't like she was some blushing virgin. That had been lost a  _long_  time ago, before she'd even met Law. She was 24 goddamn years old, a grown woman, who also had needs and desires and…

Fuck it. She was wearing the costume. If it increased her chances of getting laid that night, hey, where was the harm in that? Sex was fun. Ah, more specifically. Sex with  _Law_  was fun, she thought with an inappropriate smile. As he'd proven on multiple occasions. Having an extensive knowledge of the human anatomy certainly paid off during… _other_  activities.

Returning her plate to the counter in the kitchen, Lexi walked off in the direction of Law's quarters, intent on putting her all into this personal mission. After all, it wouldn't do to disappoint Holly and Ikkaku. They'd want all the juicy details afterwards.

* * *

 

With a final few finishing touches to her light makeup, (it would get smudged and messed up anyways, there was no need to go overboard), Lexi took one last look in the mirror, turning this way and that to get the whole picture.

She smiled, giving a fake pout, testing out her facial expressions to see which ones looked sexiest. Damn, she looked good. Her hair, which was normally up in a hair tie, she'd left down to skirt her shoulders in a wild and untamed theme. It fit, seeing as she was supposed to be a cat and all. The ears poked out from the headband in her hair, the choker sat around her neck, and the tail bounced up and down every time she shifted her body.

Taking a final breath to steady her nerves, which had risen despite her earlier confidence, she put away her makeup and returned to the adjoining bedroom.

Her head peeked through the curtain separating the two rooms, making sure that Law hadn't returned yet. To her relief, it was still empty of the Captain. Moving to the bed, she hopped up onto it and pondered several positions she could take for when he first walked in. The first impression would be the most important.

Legs folded to the side? She moved, leaning her weight on her hands. After a minute or so, her elbows began to ache with the pressure. Cross legged? No, her heels made that a bit difficult, the tall heel itself poking into her exposed skin. Plus, it put her lower region on display, the bottom hem of the dress rising up above her hips as it was stretched. Not really what she was going for.

Maybe standing in front of the bed? Sliding back off the edge, she walked to the front of the footboard, leaning suggestively to show off her breasts at a good angle. God, these shoes were more for looking at than actually wearing, Lexi quickly came to discover, her ankles and heels bearing the brunt of the pain from standing long periods of time. Shaking her head, she returned to the bed.

Sitting backwards? Her neck craned from looking over her shoulder. Frustration began to set in as she shifted position multiple times, growling as she couldn't find the best one. On her back? Nah, felt too casual. Too unsexy. Curled up? No, it messed up the costume. On her stomach?

 _Hmm, this isn't too bad._  Lexi thought to herself, not feeling any uncomfortable pressing of weight on any parts of her body. Kicking her legs up behind her, the tips of the heels clicked together when she crossed her ankles. Her chest was pressed down against the mattress, making her breasts seem to almost pop out of the top. She grinned. Yes, this would do just fine.

Sighing as she settled in to wait for him to return, she glanced at the clock, noting that it was already almost 10.

* * *

 

With a deep sigh mixed in with a groan, Law pushed away from his desk and stood. A slow stretch popped his back of the many knots that had began to form while sitting still for hours on end. He supposed he should be worried about back problems later in the future with all this sitting motionless he was doing, but he could worry about that later.

Closing the files he'd just completed, he stacked the piles together and returned them to the metal filing cabinets they belonged in.

It had been a pain to reorganize and update the rest of the crew's medical histories and conditions, but a necessary one. He'd already put it off for some time, wanting to do so while docked on an island so he wouldn't have to worry about an attack out at sea interrupting his work. Even then, he could have segmented the work out, taking on a section of the files per day. Instead, he'd finished it all that night, simply to get it out of the way.

Feeling his eyes droop, his body was now paying the price for that decision. The exhaustion seemed to creep up on him, having been pushed aside as each file had been completed. Glancing idly at the clock, and raising two brows in surprise at just how much time had passed, he wandered his way over to the infirmary door to return to his quarters.

Being past midnight by fifteen minutes, he assumed Lexi was already asleep. Usually he was done with his duties by at least 10:30 or 11, when he remembered to keep track of the time. But on nights when there were extra things to do, the brunette rarely would wait up for him before turning in.

He walked the short distance from the infirmary to his room, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. What he wouldn't give for some sleep. Reaching his quarters, he opened it slowly so as not to make too much noise if Lexi were sleeping, and stepped inside.

Pausing, he was surprised to see that the bedside lamp was still on, illuminating what he'd expected to be a dark room. But, this allowed him to see exactly what he'd walked into. Hand still clutching the door knob, he stared at the sleeping beauty currently occupying his bed…wearing a rather provocative black dress, cat ears, and a tail. His previous exhaustion had all but melted away, seeing her barely-concealed curves in that black dress. His eyes flicked to the floor, where a pair of black heels had been discarded, leaving her feet bare.

She was laying on her stomach, chest pressed into the bed, giving him a clear view down her front, hair fanned out behind her as she breathed softly in and out. The sight sent a shot of pure lust straight to his pants, and he swallowed slowly.

Not realizing he'd been leaning on the door, it closed with much more force than he'd intended, thumping rather loudly in the space of his room. Wincing, he watched as Lexi jerked awake, startled by the noise, and blinking blearily into the room in front of her.

Her eyes widened, and she pushed herself up into a sitting position, spotting him standing just in front of the door.

"U-uh…Trick or…Treat?" She exclaimed, putting on a nervous smile with closed eyes.

* * *

 

He just stood there. Just fucking  _stood there._ Like he couldn't understand what was going on or something. Or like she was from another universe. Wait…bad analogy. Either way, was it that ridiculous? Maybe he wasn't into that sort of thing? She'd never asked before, but it didn't seem like the sort of topic you just  _bring up_  out of nowhere.

His silence stretched longer than what was appropriate, really, and she sighed, her smile falling. If you were looking, you could see her visible defeat as her shoulders slumped, cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

"I knew this was a stupid idea…should have never listened to them…" Lexi muttered under her breath, hands moving from the bed covers to cover her eyes so she wouldn't have to see him just standing there.

Something like the sound of the door locking, followed by Law's footsteps echoed in her ears. Before she could look up, however, a pair of hands grabbed her wrists and pushed her back into the mattress behind her.

"Ah!" She squeaked, not expecting to be manhandled like this. Her eyes flew open, staring into the lustful gaze of the Captain, who straddled her hips with his legs on either side and licked his lips in anticipation. His intense, gray-eyes gaze pinned her neatly underneath him, rendering her trapped, even if not considering his hands keeping her in place.

"Mmm…" He hummed, face leaning closer to hers with that infernal smirk of amusement on his lips. He got closer until his breath fanned agains the shell of her ear teasingly. She let out a gasp as he licked her earlobe, then nipped gently to display his intent.

"To think I had this to look forward to when I returned…" He whispered in a silky voice, hot breath tickling her ear. Lexi bit her lip against the sensation of being both dominated and teased. She felt more than heard his chuckle just above her ear, before he nipped at the very edge of her jaw, working his way down the natural jawline.

She squirmed under his gentle licks and bites upon her skin, groaning as he both gave her what she wanted and denied her the satisfaction she so craved. It wasn't enough. The desire to touch him was halted by his hands, so she could do no more than clench and unclench her fists with need, pushing agains the strength she knew would be impossible to beat.

"W-what took…you…so long…anyways?" The brunette managed to say between pants and gasps as his mouth moved along her skin. It was getting difficult to think. That tongue of his could do so many wonderful things. A fact he seemed intent to remind her of.

"Something that seems…quite unimportant now." He answered in a whisper, making his way up her chin and towards her mouth with his own. They kissed hard, Lexi struggling to keep up with his demanding pace but loving the feeling of being completely overtaken by this man. Much as she tried to be adventurous and confident in the bedroom, she'd much prefer to let him have his way with her as he pleased. On occasion.

Lips leaving hers, they travelled back down her chin and made his way down to the valley between her breasts which still stuck out in the dress she was wearing. His goatee tickled right underneath where he was pleasuring her in sensitive areas, a wonderful and torturous mix of fun and fantasy all in one.

"Seeing as you made me wait…over two hours…I suggest we skip the foreplay." She ground out, feeling frustrated that he still wouldn't let her hands go. And the fact that he hadn't ripped this damn costume off of her, because it was starting to itch and feel uncomfortable. The decision to not wear underwear or a bra seemed smart at first, but feeling the fabric rub against her sensitive skin, the more it made her grit her teeth.

Relenting, he released her wrists and felt his way down her sides delicately, never pausing in his exploration of the top of her breasts. As soon as she was free from his grasp, her own rested against his shoulder and ran gently through his hair, encouraging him without words to continue.

His fingers rubbed circles through the fabric, slowly going lower and lower down her sides, until they reached the edge of the dress. Then, they reversed, fingers slipping underneath the fabric as they made their way back up the path they'd come, slowly dragging the garment up her body. Lexi couldn't contain the moan as both his fingers and the fabric itself travelled her naked skin, all the while reveling in the way his mouth skirted at the edge of her top, nipping gently against the flesh of her upper breasts.

The dress was hiked up to just below her breasts, then Law leaned back, pulling the front of the fabric so she sat up with him. Lexi lifted her arms enough for him to rip the thing off above her head, tossing it somewhere behind him. The cold air of the room chilled her now exposed body, and she gasped at the feeling. Wanting more, she rose on her knees to capture his lips in a kiss, her hands running gently through his hair.

His arms encircled her waist, pulling her flush against his own, still clothed, chest. When Lexi realized this, her hands fell to the hem of his shirt, tugging upwards, in a frustrated attempt to rid him of his own clothing. Law's laugh reverberated in his chest, and he reluctantly pulled away to allow her to pull the offending garment off of him. Her enthusiasm was certainly amusing.

"Eager, are we?" He teased, finishing the question with a gasp when Lexi ran her tongue up to the shell of his ear, arms wrapping around his neck to draw him closer.

"Shut up and fuck me." The brunette commanded seductively, making the Captain's eyes become half-lidded with desire as she continued licking and kissing just underneath his jaw. Barely holding back a groan of pleasure, Law let his hands roam over her naked body.

He hated being ordered around, however, there were times when he would allow it, especially when it garnered him something he desired.

And this was one of those times.

* * *

 

"Sorry, Holly. I really thought there'd be at least one lesbian at the bar." Ikkaku consoled her disheartened friend, walking them back through the hallways of the submarine after a long night of celebration. "We'll scope out the next island and find some hot babes for you, ok?"

Her friend sighed, tugging the straps of her sexy Marine costume dress further in on her shoulders. "I guess…"

"Trust me, we'll find one." Ikkaku continued, ushering her into the next hall to their shared quarters.

"Mmm…ahh…Law…"

Both women stopped, hearing the faint feminine moans coming from further down the other hallway. They shared an impressed look, holding back giggles, as a particularly loud sound of pleasure echoed through the air. If you listened hard enough, you could almost hear the creaking of wood accompanying it.

"Nē, I didn't think she would but Lexi-chan pulled through, shishishi!" Holly snickered from behind her hand, not wanting to accidentally disturb the couple.


	19. Stay

The light from the porthole is what eventually brought Lexi out of her sleep, shining directly in her face from across the room. Her face scrunched in annoyance. With one pull she tugged the comforter over her face to shield from the light. The warm cocoon of the covers enclosed over her head, and soon her breathing made the temperature too much to bear, as well as the lack of oxygen swirling in the space she slept, so she brought them back down below her chin.

"Why are we surfaced?" The brunette asked grumpily, scooting closer to the warm chest behind her. An arm pulled her in closer, to lay flush against his heated skin. The Captain sighed, his breath ghosting over the back of her neck.

"We arrived at an island late last night." He explained quietly, refusing to open his eyes now that the sun was shining directly onto his eyelids. "Bepo must have brought us up to the dock and left it surfaced for the morning crew."

"Hmm…" Lexi hummed, too tired to truly process all that information. Her left side was cramping from sleeping on it all night, so she wiggled in place until she was facing the man beside her, head resting a few inches from his. She laid her head on his bicep, scooting closer some more to chastely kiss his cheek, then pulled away again.

"You move too much." Law complained in a soft mutter, trying to restrain her with his hand, but she just wiggled out of it.

"Bite me."

He paused, seeming to think it over, before slowly shaking his head. "Too tired."

"Damn."

The silence from before returned, the only sound between them the breaths and gentle sighs that marked their comfort and content to just lay there. Law's thumb brushed smoothly, back and forth, against her hip. Lexi's finger traced small circles into the skin of his forearm, which lay resting beneath her head.

"What time is it?" Lexi asked suddenly, cracking open an eye to see his peaceful face. He didn't bother opening his eyes when he answered.

"The clock's on your side, remember?"

"Oh yeah." She recalled, suddenly realizing she was facing the wrong way to look at it. With a groan, she sighed and closed her eyes again. "I don't want to move."

"Then I guess we won't know."

"Just look for me."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because as soon as I do, it will be time to get up."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. That's how it always is."

"What if it was for me though?"

"Still no."

"Rude."

Finally, he opened his eyes to look at her through the slits. She resisted the urge to smile at his annoyed, yet still amused, expression, even as he pulled her closer into his chest.

"What's rude is someone insisting I get up to see the time."

"But I want to know." Lexi pushed again, failing to hold back her smile when she felt his lips press against her forehead gently.

He sighed deeply, not bothering to respond to her whining. But, as it would happen, he pushed up off of his elbow a little to see past her, then rested back against the pillow afterwards. "It's 9 in the morning."

"Aww…" She muttered, wishing it wasn't quite so late in the morning. "I guess you were right."

"Hmm."

"Do you absolutely have to get up?"

"I'm the Captain."

"Can't the Captain have one day to himself to sleep in?" She pleaded, nudging her head beneath his chin to lay her cheek against his collarbone. "Just one?"

"There are things to do-" He tried explaining, but she refused to listen.

"You can do them later."

"…" Law doubted her could even wrestle himself from her grip in an attempt to leave at this point. She was so firmly tucked into his side, if he got up, she'd probably be attached directly to him. Plus, it wasn't that he didn't  _want_  to stay and sleep a little longer. It was just that reports had to be filed, logs updated, supplies gathered, ship checked for damage, navigation verified…

So much to do today. And yet the warmth of the bed and the woman beside him was all too inviting to be fought against.

With a groan, he turned over and reached for the den den mushi sitting on his bedside table, dialing the number he knew by heart.

"Morning, Captain!" Came his friend's enthusiastic answer.

"Bepo, did the docking go as planned?"

"Yes, everything was smooth. The docking team have already secured up to the moorings, and the crew is eating in the kitchen as we speak. We should be ready to make land in an hour."

"Good. Please take care of organizing the supply run this morning. I'll be remaining in my quarters a bit longer." He could practically feel the brunette beside him vibrate with satisfaction at getting her way. And that damned smile he knew she wore.

"Is everything alright, Captain? It's unlike you not to be up by this time." The bear asked with concern. "Are you sick?"

"No, Bepo, everything is fine. It seems my late nights have caught up with me, however, so I'll be resting this morning."

"Oh, I see! Get some rest then, Captain. I'll let you know once we've gotten all of the supplies we need."

"Thank you."

The snail went back on the receiver, and he leaned over to put it back on the table. Lexi followed after him, and instead of laying on their sides like before, Law was now on his back, with the brunette resting on top of him.

"See? Was that so hard?" Lexi mumbled, placing a single kiss against his chest, before resting her cheek on his abs again. He stared down at her and a few seconds she smiled sheepishly. Grinning back, he gripped her by the arms and pulled her further up his chest.

"Go back to sleep." He insisted, rolling with her so they laid on their sides again. Lexi giggled but obeyed, happy she was able to get more alone time with the Captain.


	20. Bedrest

"I can wear your hat and jacket, right?"

"I suppose."

"…That didn't sound too enthusiastic."

Lexi heard a sigh from the Captain, who didn't bother looking up from his newest medical textbook. "You'll wear them anyways, even if I told you no."

She pouted, crossing her arms in front of her. Then, looking at herself in the mirror again and grinning at what she saw, Lexi turned this way and that, inspecting the spotted headwear as it was on her head, and the slightly-baggy hoodie that would do her well on this autumn-climate island. Law himself had chosen his feather-trimmed sweater, as she'd noticed he was branching away from his typical hoodie and old hat that he rarely wore anymore. Still, that meant Lexi could try them on. No complaints on her part.

It looked good. The headwear was even better than Law's old hat, which only had the fur trim around it. This one, with a more durable bill, was more to her liking. She took it off, bundling all her hair up before covering it with the hat, so she looked more like Law.

"Heh, I could impersonate you or something." Continuing to observe herself in the mirror, she playfully brought her hand up to mimic his signature 'Room' move, trying to make her face look as unamused and stern as possible.

"If you somehow manage to grow about eight inches in height, then sure."

"…" Lexi could practically hear the smirk in his voice, without having to look at the smug Captain still reading his damned book. If he was even reading it anymore. She turned to look at his back, deadpanning. "That was a low blow."

"Not quite as low as you."

"…"

Perurururu…perurururu…

The sound of the den den mushi in Law's pocket interrupted Lexi's attempt to chastise him for continuing his short jokes, and made him pull it out to answer. "Yes?"

"Captain, we'll be making landfall within ten minutes or so." Bepo informed him cheerfully.

Law nodded in appreciation, before standing from his desk chair. "Thank you, Bepo. Please inform the landing party."

"Aye, Captain!" The bear replied, saluting with a smile and hanging up the little snail.

Law put away his den den mushi, regarding the woman for a moment. His head cocked to the side, eyes flicking back and forth from the hat, to the hoodie, to her face. After awhile, she started to wonder just what he was thinking in all that staring.

"What?" She finally asked, and his smile widened. Before replying, he reached forward and pulled the bill of the hat down below her eyes with a chuckle. "Hey!" She cried, trying to right it.

"Perhaps I should let you borrow them more often. It…doesn't look horrible."

"Hmph." She fixed the hat, adjusting it left and right until it was where she wanted it to sit, sticking her tongue out behind Law's back as he exited their shared bedroom. Still, she was glad she would be allowed to wear it for once. In her opinion, Law looked a lot better with his black, messy head of hair showing. It gave him that sexy pirate look, and any opportunity to have him be without the thing covering it all the time was a plus.

* * *

 

"Commander!"

The shout brought the newly-appointed Marine out of his daze. Still, he was glad to be distracted for the time being, bored of reading the procedures and protocols manual since that morning had began. Standing to greet one of the lower ranking grunts, realizing too late that it was unnecessary now that he held a higher position than him, his hands unconsciously smoothed down the front of his jacket.

"Yes, Marine?"

"We've had sightings of the Heart Pirates making port in the harbor!"

"Heart Pirates?" The Commander questioned, resisting the urge to gulp. Shit, this wasn't exactly the ideal first week of being in charge. A Supernova entering his town? How was he supposed to handle that? Still, he somehow maintained that outward calm appearance, nodding confidently to the other man. "When did they arrive?"

"Within the last half hour. The yellow submarine is unmistakable."

"I see…" The Commander pondered the revelation, inwardly panicking, wondering what the hell the best course of action would be in this situation. Trafalgar Law had made a name for himself, a terrifying one at that. The citizens of the town would expect him to handle it.

"How should we address this, sir?" The Marine questioned, standing tall once more to receive orders. Orders the Commander himself didn't exactly know what they'd be.

Then, straightening his shoulders as well, the leader crossed his arms in a business-like fashion. "I want six squads of ten men stationed at each entry into the main town, and…is there a problem, Marine?" He questioned in hesitation, suddenly noticing the man's slightly pained expression.

"Well, sir…we've only got two squads stationed anywhere close to the town. The rest are on a training detail at the neighboring island. At least a day's sail away."

"Right…" The Commander deflated a little, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, round up the ones we do have available, and we'll strategize from there."

"Yes, sir!" The Marine saluted and ran off to assemble the rest of the units on duty, never noticing the fear that etched itself onto his superior's face as he left the room.

* * *

 

"So…bandages?" Lexi read off the list of items they needed to stock up on. Law checked the items in their bags.

"Check."

"Hydrogen peroxide?"

"Yes, along with the swabs, scalpels, cleaning solutions, and sterile needles."

"Nice…" She muttered, marking those things off their to-do list. "I'm sure Penguin and Shachi are taking care of the mechanical stuff?"

Law nodded confidently. Even if his two head engineers tended to good off at times, when it came to fixing things, they worked with a passion one wouldn't expect out of them otherwise. The necessary supplies, he was sure, would all be purchased without incident.

Hopefully.

"Chef's got the food covered." Lexi continued, moving down the listed items thoroughly. "And we weren't low on general items, besides the few requests from the crew, so that won't be a problem…why'd you even put it on the list?"

He shrugged, glancing her way before dodging a person in the street. "Just in case there was something we overlooked. I'll want to double check supplies and inventory once we return."

Rubbing her head, Lexi sighed, beginning to feel the heat from the day, and the errands they'd been doing for the past hour or so. Still, it wasn't too much of an incentive to take off his hat. Which she was still sporting.

"Right…I forgot…" Her eyes skimmed the list some more, seeing if there was any items that she could think of that may have been forgotten. She lit upon one particular line, before furrowing her brows in disgust. "Why do we need… _25_ …sexy magazines, as they put it?"

Law glanced at the list to see if that's really what it said, before shrugging. "It's honestly not all that surprising."

"Is that all your people do on their down time? I mean, a few I could understand, but… _25?_ " Came her incredulous question, eyebrows both raised in surprise.

"No, but if it resolves certain problems I'd rather not deal with while out at sea, then so be it. The less STD's they pick up from the brothels, the better." He gave a pained expression, and Lexi was willing to bet that had been a lesson learned from experience. She couldn't help but laugh.

"Ooh, harsh." They walked for several more paces, before she glanced back at her Captain with suspicion. "You don't use any of those magazines, do you?"

But Law merely shot her a pointed look. "I don't go around asking you if you partake in pleasuring yourself, Lexi-ya."

Lexi couldn't stop the shudder that flushed down her spine, grimacing in slight mortification as thoughts she hadn't ever bothered to think about in awhile began piling up. Law had sort of negated the need to even do that for herself, and now just thinking about it was a bit…embarrassing. Once the flood gates opened, there was no stopping it, as much as she tried to. Damn her for asking. "Alright, I get it. Nevermind. I don't wanna know."

"As I thought." He compromised, figuring the conversation would end there. It was a bit amusing to have seen her reaction when the subject was brought up. Though he was still rather curious if she ever had…

Still checking the rest of the list, they walked back to the submarine, one trip worth of supplies in hand, ready to be deposited.

* * *

 

"Is everyone in position?" The den den mushi in the marine's hand asked, a stern expression etched in it's face. The marine holding it gave a salute, though given the Commander was not there physically, it had less of an effect.

"Yes, sir! Teams one and two have taken up their positions on the roofs of the butcher and inn. They should have a clear view of the dock."

"And team three?"

The marine glanced across the way at the roof directly parallel to them on the street. "Nearly prepared. They are still setting up their rifles."

"That's good. I want a report as soon as we have a visual."

"Can we get a description, so we know exactly which target we are looking for?" One of the closer marines, holding a rifle and kneeling beside the roof's edge, asking the marine holding the den den mushi.

The Commander heard his intrusion and nodded from his desk back at headquarters. "The captain, Trafalgar Law, is normally seen wearing a bright yellow sweatshirt and a white-and-black spotted hat. That will be your target."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

 

They deposited the supplies they'd gotten and had gone out for lunch afterwards, deciding that a break was in order for all their hard work lugging the bags to the sub. The crew would have helped, but they were currently out washing the submarine of barnacles and checking for any damage.

Returning for the last time, and thankful that they could rest after having bought all the necessary supplies, Lexi and Law walked down the main road to the dock.

"I'm almost surprised that you're a decent tipper." Lexi laughed, sipping the last of her lemonade from the cafe they'd stopped at. The pirate _had_ given quite a generous tip, all things considering, though that was probably because simply by walking in, he'd scared a third of the guests out. The event had given him quite a laugh. It seemed these people weren't all too fond of pirates.

"The food was good." He replied nonchalantly, tucking his hands in his pockets and leading them on the way back to their yellow home.

"This is team three. We have a visual on the target. Can anyone else confirm?"

"Negative, no sightings."

"What direction?" Asked the leader of team one, eyes scanning the crowd for the description they'd been given. Nothing really stood out, despite having a wide view of the road down below.

"Target is not on the main road like we would suspect. Heading east on the street above it, towards the dock."

"Be alert Team three, you're the only one that has eyes over there."

"Copy. Are we go for taking the shot?"

"Is civilian traffic low?"

The team three leader made a quick check of the street, finally nodding. "Not a crowd, but still a fair number. If a shot were to be made, it would have to be careful."

"…" The Commander hesitated, silently pondering his choices from his office back at headquarters.

"Orders, sir?"

"…" He weighed the consequences of both decisions. The citizens expected them to keep the population safe. Already he'd heard reports of Heart Pirates activity from stores and restaurants. Nor did he want it to continue. Still, if they were potentially putting the civilian lives in danger. No. Shaking his head, his face set in a determined expression. His men could handle themselves and dictate the best course of action. "Make certain not to endanger civilian lives, but if you have the shot, take it."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

 

"There has to be some profound reason why you don't like it." Lexi pushed, eyeing her Captain with amusement. He didn't appear so amused though. "Come on, just tell me!"

"There's nothing to tell."

"I don't believe you."

"That's your problem, then."

"I mean, who doesn't like bread? It's, like…the very basis of food! It's pretty much used in 90% of the stuff we eat." Lexi gestured around her, as if indicating all of the bread in the world. The people passing by gave her quizzical glances, before giving the two pirates a bit more distance.

Law finally sighed, reaching up to adjust the hat that wasn't there. Frowning, he brought his hand back to his pocket, hoping she hadn't seen him swiping at nothing above his head. "I've just never liked it. Nothing more to say." There was a pause in the conversation, and he turned to glare at her obviously doubtful expression. "I'm serious."

"Hmm…I'll let it go for now, but I still don't believe you." Her grin only made him scowl slightly, which made her laugh. "You're so easy to tease, and you don't even realize it."

"Keep teasing, and you may not like what I do." He warned, though as soon as it left his mouth he could tell she wasn't intimidated, merely giving him a sidelong look of mischief.

"You sure about that?" She asked suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows for effect. "We all know-"

BANG. A single, resounding gunshot split the air, and Law was instantly on alert, crouching down a little to cover himself. The civilians nearby screamed and ran, leaving him exposed. However, his eyes quickly widened once he saw the red of Lexi's blood splash against his shirt, and watched as she fell to the ground.

"Lexi-ya!" He growled, dropping to her side to inspect where the bullet had penetrated. There was a round, gushing entry wound on one side of her neck, thankfully not in the correct spot to damage the trachea, but damn near close. She coughed and panted from shock, fear, and pain all mixed in one. There was no spare piece of cloth to cover the wound with, and so he resorted to simply pressing down with his hand, hoping to alleviate it somehow.

Eyes wide and panicked, the brunette tried to say something more, cut off by a moan of pain from the contact, but Law realized the danger they were both still in, and picked her up by her knees and back, intent on sprinting the rest of the way to the submarine. While he was running, another shot pierced the air, followed by a few more, and the captain grunted as a sharp pain flooded through his shoulder. Ignoring it for now, the Captain brought both him and his companion to safety, nodding appreciatively as the nearest crew mates shut the yellow hatch behind them.

"What happened?"

"Lexi-chan! Is she okay?"

"I want back out there so I can give them a piece of my mind!"

"Who the fuck shot her!?"

The conversations swirled in his ears, but Law ignored them all, intent on making his way to the infirmary. Lexi was still critically injured, and if they didn't stop the bleeding immediately, she would die from blood loss, or buildup in her brain. Either way, both things he'd like to avoid.

The sub's hallways were navigated easily, and he practically kicked open the doors, startling the few other medics stocking the shelves inside. "Captain?" They asked, though quickly realized the problem once they laid eyes on the bleeding fellow-medic in his arms.

"Start an IV, and, urgh…" He grunted as he placed her on the operating table, the wound in his shoulder throbbing with pain. "I need an oxygen mask and bandages at hand."

"Aye!" They responded, quickly jumping into action. While emergencies like this weren't common, this is exactly what they were trained for. Immediate response was key in cases like this. Law felt much more at peace, knowing he had knowledgable people at hand to help him.

While the other medics prepared for surgery, Law walked over to the sink and removed his shirt. Wincing at the bleeding hole in his shoulder, he rinsed it as best he could, grabbing the nearest roll of bandages, tying it sloppily. He would have taken more time to stop the bleeding, but as long as it wouldn't contaminate the surgical environment, it would have to do. There were more pressing matters at the moment.

Lexi's eyes were rolled to the side, and she coughed weakly. Blood dripped from her mouth, pooling on the table behind her neck. Her hand tried reaching up to touch the wound, somehow remembering in the fog of panic and pain that she was supposed to keep pressure on it. The bleeding had to stop. However, before her hand made contact with the entry point, someone grabbed her hand and forced it down.

 _I have to put pressure on it,_ she thought, and tried to say, but the words wouldn't come out. It was difficult to breathe. Her vision blurry from a mixture of fear, confusion, and an overwhelming pain, she almost didn't see the mask being put on her face until it was already there. It startled her, but the flow of oxygen felt somewhat calming.

Her torso felt much colder than it had a second ago, why was it cold? What happened to her shirt? The hoodie? Something was taken off of her head. Her hat! She hoped she hadn't lost it, Law would be mad. Why couldn't she feel her arms? There must have been…something else…with the air they provided…

Before Lexi could think too much longer, she was knocked out by the anesthesia.

* * *

 

Even as they worked on reducing the amount of blood being lost, and ensuring there were no damaged nerves or organs, Law grit his teeth against the pain at his shoulder. The bandage had already bled through, stained a deep red. The sleeve on the white shirt he'd put on had began to stain a dark red as well, and finally one of the medics noticed.

"Captain, we can take it from here, do you want to get that fixed up?" The man pointed at the wound with a bloodied towel.

Scowling, the Captain shook his head, focusing only on the layers of her flesh he cut away with his devil fruit ability. At least there was no bullet, there'd been an exit wound. But he wanted to be sure there was no nerve or unseen damage to her tissues.

"No." He replied adamantly, not bothering to look up from his task.

"But-"

"I said no."

A few of the medics shared a concerned glance, but knew better than to push the subject too far.

* * *

 

Lexi first noticed her consciousness while her eyes were still closed, and it took a moment to open them into slits. The room around her was very white, and she recognized the smell of the infirmary right away. This was a familiar place. A safe place. Her body relaxed, knowing that despite what had happened, she was alright, no doubt due to Law's skill and quick action.

It was a little foggy, trying to recall exactly what had happened. The stiffness of her neck made her pause, and Lexi slowly reached up to touch the thick bandage around her neck and shoulder. It faintly throbbed in pain, but nowhere near what she'd been feeling before.

"Don't touch the bandage too much." A male voice advised. Lexi turned her head to regard the Captain, who was standing in front of the sink without a shirt, wrapping something around his shoulder. Yet, for as much as her delirium from before had improved, she still felt a little loopy.

"Your tattoos…are really sexy." She muttered, not quite sure why she felt the need to tell him that. Though she hadn't spoken loudly, it seemed he heard her, because he paused and gave her an amused stare.

"Oh really?"

"Mhmm…you should keep your shirt off more often…" Her sentence drifted off, and she frowned, feeling her tongue around the inside of her mouth. "I can taste blood…"

"Let's wash out your mouth then." He grabbed a small paper cup and filled it halfway with water from the sink, walking over to her gingerly. It was then she noticed the bandages he'd been applying to his shoulder, now aware what that signified.

"Your shoulder… Are you…ok?" Her mouth felt thick and gummy, and it was hard to form words, but at least he understood what she was getting at.

He nodded measuredly, handing her the cup. "I'm fine. Now, swish it around as best you can, but don't swallow. Spit it back out."

He helped her bring it up to her lips to take a sip, and she did as instructed. It was slow and sort of painful, but eventually most of the metallic taste that lingered in her mouth and probably on her teeth had alleviated. When she spit again, the water was a light red. The Captain went to toss the water back into the sink, before returning to her side, watching as she relaxed back into the medical cot she lay on.

"Yuck." She murmured to herself, finally closing her eyes slowly to blink. "What happened, anyways?"

"There were snipers stationed on a roof nearby, and they shot you in the neck."

"We have to warn the crew…" She tried suggesting, but he shook his head.

"They've been…taken care of." He added in a darker tone, glancing off to the side as if seeing a different scene in his head. "We won't have to worry about them anymore. Besides, we've already set sail."

"…" She took in that information. "How long have I been asleep?"

"About a day and a half." He answered, grinning at her shock. He continued.

"You're lucky the bullet didn't hit a few inches to the right. It would've torn through the trachea." He commented, sitting on the stool beside her bed casually. "Though the wound you do have was rather critical to begin with."

The word 'critical' made her begin to panic again. Critical condition was bad. That was bad news. She tried to sit up. "Am I gonna die?"

She heard Law's laugh, and felt him place a hand on her exposed chest to push her back down.

"No. A week or two's bedrest and some antibiotics to reduce the chance of infection should be enough to get you back on your feet."

The reassurance in his soft voice helped her calm down again. Wait…

"What happened to my shirt?" She asked, her gaze drifting down to her torso, which was only covered in her bra and slightly by the sheet draping over the lower half of her body.

"We had to cut it away to perform the surgery. Unfortunately, that meant the hoodie too." He added, knowing how she'd probably not be too thrilled with the revelation. The pout she sported was almost comical, but he resisted the urge to laugh.

"Aww…" She groaned, disappointed with the outcome. Law merely watched her with amusement. Forgetting his earlier instruction not to touch it, Lexi's hand drifted upwards and felt the soft bandage wrapped around her flesh.

"Don't touch, remember?" He reminded, guiding her hand back down to the bed.

"Oh yeah…" She muttered, closing her eyes again. For a moment, the brunette felt a pang of guilt. She _hadn't_ remembered, but maybe Law didn't have to know that. It was difficult to think right now. Her eyes stung behind her eyelids. They felt heavy. "I'm tired."

"Then rest. I'll be back later to check on you." She felt a hand on her head, brushing back her hair gently.

"Ok…" His finger thread themselves through her hair evenly, and it felt so nice. So soothing. "I'm glad you're alright..." She whispered, and it stopped Law up short.

He chuckled. _Always thinking about someone other than herself,_ he thought.

What she imagined had been a kiss was placed on her forehead tenderly, and she drifted off into a light snooze.


	21. Don't Say It

It didn't bother Lexi, knowing Law had never told her. She wasn't one of those women who demanded to be reminded every single waking hour of every single day. Honestly, it would surprise her more if he ever _did_ say it. Law just didn't seem like that type of man. Not once during the time she'd spent with him did she believe he would be one to admit to something like it so openly.

But Lexi knew how deeply her own feelings ran, and she was becoming more frustrating with _herself_ for not having gathered up the courage to openly tell him she did. Hell, it had been over a year, almost two, since she'd followed Law into this strange world of his. It wasn't the fear of rejection causing her hesitation. And to be frank, Lexi honestly didn't know what was holding her back. There was just this nagging doubt at the back of her head, that this was a big deal, and she shouldn't take it lightly.

Lexi had never confessed to her boyfriend, simply because she just didn't feel that way. They'd been together, sure, but nothing had ever ventured into anything more serious than the occasional sex. There wasn't the distinct emotional attachment that Lexi now felt towards Law, in a way that made her feel extremely vulnerable, yet extremely satisfied all at the same time. It was…nice…to know that she'd found that feeling in someone else.

Realizing that the longer she held in the desire to tell him, the worse this apprehension would become, and the worse she would feel simply keeping it to herself. Lexi wanted him to know. She wanted him to understand just how deep her heart longed for him when he was away for even a short time, and how every time they participated in a battle, she prayed that he would return safely, in one piece. Things like that weren't just simple attraction, and it was becoming increasingly obvious to her that the time had come for her to say something.

Lexi wasn't one to switch gender roles around too much, not out of the desire to keep things traditional, but she was simple rather shy when it came to the fluffy, cutesy aspect of a relationship. Hell, it felt weird simply calling it a _relationship._ The label felt juvenile. Immature, even. It ran deeper than that. It was…if she absolutely _had_ to put a name to it…a partnership. And the strength of trust in that partnership ran larger than any ordinary team.

So it was with the utmost caution and hesitation that Lexi sought to tell Law exactly what she felt for him. But it wouldn't be easy.

Lately, Law had been rather busy with preparations for departing— _alone_ , mind you, for a place called 'Punk Hazard.' Lexi wasn't quite sure what that meant, or the implication of it, but based on the way Law had determinately gone about updating all there was to the crew's medical files, ensuring they were in peak physical condition, and stressing the importance of training to the rest of the crew, it was a major event. There wasn't often a day when he returned to his quarters for more than a shower and change of clothes, before he was back out wandering the sub, finishing preparations and taking inventory.

A majority of the time, he wouldn't come back to sleep until well past the time Lexi already had, and she rarely woke up beside him either. The impression and faint warmth that was left on the comforter beside her every morning made it apparent he was at least sleeping, but she was beginning to miss him. Who knew one could go days without seeing someone on such a small vessel?

Thankfully, as things were beginning to fall into place, and the Captain was running out of lists to check, logs to report, courses to plot and navigate, medical records to update, and just things to do in general, she brunette began to see more of him. Yet another reminder that she'd been missing him as of late.

That night, he'd actually gotten back to their shared quarters within a reasonable hour, interrupting Lexi's reading as he entered the door. She glanced up in surprise, noting the tired expression he wore as he took off his hat and walked to the bathroom adjoining the room.

"Long day?" Lexi asked after him, hearing the water of the sink turn on a moment later.

"Longer than I expected." He admitted, his voice echoing slightly. "However, most of the preparations have been dealt with. I should be leaving by next week at this rate."

Unbeknownst to the Captain, Lexi's face fell at this admission, wishing he wasn't so hell-bent on leaving the crew. According to Holly, this wasn't a normal occurrence either. They'd never seen him this way, and were no doubt equally as confused as she.

"Hmm." She answered noncommittally, returning her gaze back to the book she was reading. It seemed boring now, her earlier content mood having vanished. The interest was gone. Giving up with it entirely, she shrugged with a sigh, placing the bookmark on the page and closing it. Law entered from the bathroom as she was putting it away.

He said nothing, rubbing his eyes tiredly with a yawn as he trekked over to his side of the bed. She opened her mouth, but suddenly couldn't find the words to say. Instead, Lexi watched silently as he lay down, groaning with relief, and faced the other way. Lexi pursed her lips, knowing the opportunity to say what she wanted to say was lost. He was honestly exhausted, that much was clearly evident, and she didn't want to interrupt his sleep now that he was already laying there. The man didn't get enough of it as it was.

With an inaudible sigh, she turned off her bedside lamp and got under the covers as well, turning so their backs were to each other. The mood was nothing more than exhaustion and disappointment, so she didn't expect anything to go further from that for the night. They both promptly fell asleep anyways.

* * *

 

Several days had passed, Law still keeping relatively busy with preparations to leave for this island called Punk Hazard. She'd ventured to ask why he was so insistent on leaving, but he'd only answered—vaguely, she might add, that it was a personal matter. He didn't want to drag the rest of his crew into it, and so he'd be going alone, though she couldn't understand how he thought that was going to accomplish anything. Nevertheless, the way his eyes had set firmly and looked past her at some unspoken memory stopped her from inquiring as to the real meaning, and so she'd stayed silent. For as much as she wanted to know, Law was a very private person. Had he wanted her to know, he would have told her.

His focused mindset still wasn't helping her cause, however. Knowing that she may have more courage to say what she felt for him while they were more in the mood for such things, Lexi tried initiating, but it seemed there was too much on Law's mind to really get him to respond. While she knew that he wasn't outright rejecting her, per se, it still stung a little when he had to gently push her away, stating he had to finish all of the planning before he left.

Another day, then two, came and went. Law was still here, but the time was coming closer and closer to when he would leave them. Lexi was silently dreading the day, not knowing how life without the Captain around would fare for her. It would be the first time since she'd come with him that she wouldn't have his confident presence around to reassure her. It was terrifying, honestly.

The crew didn't seem as concerned with Law's plan, but she was worried. What sort of dangers would he be going into on this mission? What was so important that he risk going alone? Would she…ever see him again? She wasn't stupid. This world was much more dangerous that her own had been, and despite being a strong fighter and capable of handling things when they became tough, the threat of a more powerful enemy was always lurking in the background, no matter how well you prepared.

Lexi tried finding whatever time she could to spend with him, offering to help with any of the planning, but he always reassured her he had it taken care of or was working on it himself. It was discouraging, not being allowed to help in any way.

And then finally, the time came.

They'd landed on the next island in their route, docking that afternoon and gathering supplies to restock directly afterwards. Normally she wouldn't mind the chore, but it just felt…superficial. Once they'd all returned, Law had stated to the crew that he would be departing the next morning for Punk Hazard, procuring a boat from the docks and sailing his way to wherever the hell this island was. He had produced a small, white paper from his pocket, giving it to Bepo to keep.

While she was only vaguely familiar with it, she recognized it to be a vivre card, something that would apparently guide whoever had it to the person it belonged to. It was a small comfort, as the thing would keep them informed as to their Captain's location and status, but would burn to ashes should the person die. She suppressed a shiver down her spine, not wanting to continue with that line of thinking.

They'd all agreed to have a feast that night, one last celebration before their Captain would leave on a who-knew-how-long journey to an island she had no clue where it was. Despite the atmosphere being very bittersweet, she somehow couldn't manage more than a small smile while surrounded with the rest of the Heart Pirates that night, her worries taking up most of her mind during the party.

After several hours of staying with the rest of the company, Lexi retired for the night to their quarters, wondering how empty it would feel once Law left. She'd gotten used to sleeping beside someone who had a habit of cuddling her in his subconscious, seeking out her warmth or her presence, she couldn't tell.

Not feeling up to reading or studying that night, Lexi simply got into bed and laid down beneath the covers. Despite resting physically, her mind refused to settle itself into a semblance of calm.

It was her last chance. Literally. There was the small possibility that she would never see him again. Slim as it may be, there was still a certain amount of risk to his plan. If she wanted to tell him, she only had one last chance to do so.

After another hour or so, Lexi heard the door to their quarters open, and the Captain walked through, shutting it behind him. Seeing Lexi already laying down, he quirked a brow.

"Already sleeping? That's unlike you." He commented. Her eyes flickered over to the clock, realizing that she had indeed gone to bed rather early. It was only 8:30.

She shrugged, turning in the sheets to look at him easier. "I could say the same to you. Done with the party already?"

"As much as I appreciate the sentiment, it was more of a comfort for them than for me." He said, stepping into the bathroom. "And, I don't want to wake up with the worst hangover of my life."

Lexi couldn't help but smile. "That's true I guess. We tend to overdo our parties, yeah?"

"'Tend to?' I've yet to see a party that someone _doesn't_ find themselves being taped to the ceiling, thrown in the ocean, or passed out in the hallway once all is said and done." He called in amusement from the other room, the sound of clothing rustling the only indication he was probably undressing.

"Ok, you've got me there." Lexi giggled, envisioning the last time someone had a birthday on board the sub. She propped herself up on her elbows, realizing that he seemed much more at ease that night than he had for at least a week. For a moment, she didn't know quite what to say, before settling on, "You can't blame them, though. They're going to miss you."

Law stepped out again, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, eyeing her teasingly. "Only them?"

Grinning besides herself, she crossed her arms and turned her head away with a 'hmph.' "Well, why would _I_ miss you? Maybe I'll finally get some peace and quiet around here, what with all the teasing being gone."

He chuckled, stalking closer to his side. "Oh? I have a hard time believing that, Lexi-ya." She scooted over a few inches so he would have enough room as well, making himself comfy under the covers beside her.

"Believe it, don't believe it…it doesn't matter to me." She tried continuing, but wasn't really too intent on arguing over the fact in the first place. There was something much more important right at the tip of her tongue, but she was waiting for the right moment to say it. When…exactly was the right opportunity? Especially for the first time?

"Hmm…" He hummed under his breath, surprising her by snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her to lay flush against him, their chests facing. She looked up into his face, wondering what he was thinking with such a peaceful expression. Eyes half-lidded, he stared down into her face thoughtfully.

For several minutes, they simply lay there close together, eyes wandering the contours of each other's face, as if memorizing each line and each feature, knowing it would be some time before they saw each other again. The silence stretched, until Lexi couldn't help but ask: "Do you really have to go?"

He resisted the urge to sigh, but nodded slowly. His hand, which had been resting against her hip, trailed upwards to her arm, then shoulder, before grasping a lock of her hair in one hand, feeling it's texture. "It's something I have to do." He explained unhelpfully.

Lexi watched in sadness as he tolled the hair between his fingers gently, as if seeing it for the first time. She let out a long breath, before leaning forward to rest her forehead on his bare chest. "I know…doesn't mean I like the fact that you're going alone."

"I'll be fine."

"You say that, but anything could happen."

It seemed he didn't have an answer to her retort, and simply stayed silent. She knew her argument wouldn't be enough to keep him here anyways, and suddenly wondered why she had asked to begin with. It was a stupid question.

"Just…be careful, alright? Come back to us." She hesitated, before looking back up into his eyes, knowing that now was the time. "Come back to me."

He noticed the shift in her eyes as soon as it happened, and his narrowed imperceptibly. The only reason she noticed was because she was looking. Her hand reached up, running evenly through his hair to smooth out the wild strands, eyes trailing down to his lips briefly before returning back to stare into his gray irises.

"There's…something I want you to know. Before you leave." She trailed off quietly, barely speaking in more than a whisper. Being so close, he obviously heard her, and his eyes flicked between both of hers in…worry? Fear? She frowned minutely, wondering if she'd phrased the sentence in a negative way. Shit, this wasn't starting off well.

He said nothing, simply waited for her to speak again, and she almost lost her nerve to continue. Almost. Drawing a breath, she gave a tiny smile and tried to put all the feeling into her gaze as she could, wanting to show him more than just tell him.

"I lov-mmph." She tried, but was cut off by Law's hand clapping over her mouth. Frowning in both surprise and confusion, she looked back up to him and noticed that his expression had turned…pained. He looked stricken.

She forcibly pulled his hand away. "Law, listen to me." But he didn't appear to want to, as he leaned his forehead down to rest against hers, eyes closed.

"Don't." He stated with strength, holding her tightly to him, as if she'd run away. But Lexi was too confused, hurt, and angry to do so, instead electing to stare up into his closed eyes, wondering why the hell he wasn't letting her finish the sentence. Perhaps…she'd misjudged their relationship?

"But, I don't understand…" She felt the prick of tears behind her eyes. This was beyond embarrassing, especially considering this was looking more and more like a legitimate rejection. Muscling through the urge to cry, she swallowed and continued. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing." He said adamantly, finally opening his eyes to look at her, but he still looked unsure, not confident. "You did nothing wrong."

"Then why?"

"Just don't say it."

"But…Law, I lo-" She tried again, but was stopped instead by his lips pressing against hers insistently, swallowing the words that were to follow. Arms drawing her closer, he lead them in a slow, deliberate kiss, as if silently apologizing, or reassuring her of something. Which one, she couldn't tell. Though as much as she wanted to push him away and demand some answer, she felt like this may be the best way he could do so. Showing her instead of telling.

Eyes closed, she reached up and cradled his face in one hand. This wasn't like the normal kisses they shared, which were fueled more by their own sexual needs than anything. This was slow, thoughtful, and something altogether deeper than what she was used to. It was comforting and safe, just as warm as the embrace he held her in. He slowly shifted them so she lay on her back, and he hovered above her, pressing Lexi further into the mattress as his hands drifted down her arms, her sides, all the way to her hips. His thumbs rubbed smooth circles into the skin, helping to calm her down and give her hope both at the same time.

They had to separate for air, but Law didn't let her have any time to speak, recapturing her lips again a moment after, this time licking her bottom lip to ask permission. She complied, allowing him to slip his tongue into her mouth and taste her, lazily exploring rather than dominating as he usually did.

Remembering that she'd been trying to get some answers from him, she separated and held his head away from her with both hands, forcing him to look at her rather than kiss her again as distraction. Resisting the urge to kiss him again and give up this endeavor entirely was harder to do than she was willing to admit.

"Why?" She asked simply in a breathless hush, begging for an answer with pleading eyes. He took a moment to catch his breath, before closing his eyes again and lowering his forehead to hers. It was difficult for him to look at her.

"It doesn't need to be said," He replied quietly, his breath ghosting over her lips invitingly. "especially right before I depart. It will change things."

"Change how?"

"I don't know. Which is why you shouldn't."

"But, it's what you do when you feel that way about someone. You tell them, so they know." She reasoned, the smallest of tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. Why couldn't he understand her need to put it out there? Why couldn't he see? Was he just not interested in her feelings?

No, that couldn't be true. If that had been the case, he would have simply brushed the whole conversation aside, maybe even gone to bed. Or, perhaps, told her flat out that he didn't feel the same way. This was something deeper. Maybe…it was really her who didn't understand. But, what exactly was causing the problem then?

After several moments of silence, he opened his eyes to stare into hers again. Lexi could not read his expression at all, though underlying the unknown emotion, she could still read the uncertainty.

"Things left unsaid aren't any less true." He told her, willing her to understand what he was trying to get across.

And she finally did, to an extent. It took some thinking, and an admittance that no one was really in the right or wrong here, it was just a different interpretation of the situation they were in. While Lexi wanted to put a label on the emotions that were between them, Law felt no such desire or need. He was content with what they were, right where they were. As far as he was concerned, there was no need to put a name to it, no need to define and inspect, and categorize what it was they had.

Lexi, while she may not understand exactly why he refused to let her say it, began to see that even by telling him her feelings, she was setting up the expectation for him to reciprocate the sentiment, which might be something he wasn't ready or willing to do quite yet. If at all. It was putting an unspoken strain on the feelings they shared, this halfway point he wasn't confident he could meet her at.

It began to make sense, and as Lexi stewed in her thoughts, thinking over what he'd said and how she felt, she was able to come to a worthy conclusion. Law simply watched her, waiting to see what she would say next.

"…" Her eyes returned to him, finally wondering if maybe he did not feel quite the same as she did for him. Was that why he wouldn't say it? Why he wouldn't allow her to say it? The fear must have shown through in her eyes. But when the tears that had threatened to spill finally leaked over her cheeks, Law gently wiped them away, placing a single, gently kiss on her lips in response.

"Things left unsaid," he started again in almost a whisper, pointedly staring at her as if reading her thoughts exactly, "aren't any less true."

Ah. This she understood. Her worry and doubt receded, getting the implied message, and she smiled up at him. Nodding slowly to indicate she understood what he was saying, she closed her eyes as he kissed her again, pouring all of the unspoken feeling into that kiss, so that even while she couldn't say how she felt, she could certainly show him.

In fact, she spent the rest of that evening showing him just how much she felt for him, and when she woke the next morning, it was to an empty bed, and the faint feeling of his lips still on hers.


	22. Inked

"FUCK!" She yelled, gripping the tattoo table she was currently laying on. The constant, painful sensation on her back shoulder was killing her, every single time the tattooist drew her buzzing instrument across her skin.

Law, who sat in the chair beside her reading some book or another, smirked with every outcry of pain that Lexi displayed. The tattoo artist said nothing, just kept going on the lines that would form the outline of the image.

One stroke in particular felt like it stabbed right into her bone, and she tensed on instinct. "Shit…that's hurts…" She whispered to herself, causing Law to laugh with mirth.

"You can withstand torture for days but not a little needle?"

In response, Lexi sent him a deadly glare, biting back the shout of pain that threatened to burst from her. "First, glad to hear…urgh…that you're enjoying yourself. And second…tattoo needles are like…ah, shit…like, twenty needles all in one."

"Doesn't make much of a difference." His smile grew wider, eyes finally flicking up to inspect the work done so far. "The outline's almost done. Then she'll start the shading."

For a moment, Lexi looked hopeful. It was already almost halfway done? Wow, she hadn't been laying there even an hour, she thought. It was difficult to tell time right now. "The outline is the worst part of it, right?"

Without even cracking a smile or looking in Lexi's direction, the artist shook her head. "No. Shading is worse."

Sighing with indignation, Lexi dropped her head back to the table in defeat. This was going to be awhile…

* * *

 

"Law…I fucking hate you right now!" Lexi seethed through her teeth, gripping the edge of the table in a death grip, knuckles white and tense. The Captain, who'd finished reading his book, was simply sat watching the artist work on her tattoo.

"You're the one who decided to get the tattoo, Lexi-ya." He reasoned, shrugging since none of this was his doing in the first place. She'd seen the jolly roger marks on the other crew members and wanted to get one as well, to feel included and a part of the crew. She already was, even without the mark, but Law could understand her reasoning.

"Yeah, but why'd you let me go through with it?" She hissed, squeezing her eyes shut against a particularly painful part of the shading. The beginnings of tears touched the corners of her eyes, but they had yet to fall. It was the first indication that she was going to cry in the entire two hour process. Even he was impressed, especially considering it was her first tattoo ever.

"Because you would have simply ignored when I told you it would hurt."

"URGH! That's not an excuse!"

"I'm sure it's almost finished, then you can go back and sleep off the pain." He reasoned, catching the artist's eye for validation. She nodded silently, already three-fourths of the way through the shading of the smiley-style jolly roger. The design was simple enough to not need a whole lot of detail, and so the entire process was rather quick.

Thankfully, the artist was quick and efficient at her job, and had Lexi all wrapped up within another 15 minutes. She proceeded to instruct her with the aftercare, to ensure it kept nicely and healed properly, before Lexi was allowed to put her shirt back on. She was careful about it, intent not to accidentally brush over the new ink with the fabric. It was covered in a thin layer of wrap, but it still hurt to the touch.

The payment was already taken care of, so the two pirates began the walk back to the submarine.

"Satisfied?" Law questioned, knowing full well she wasn't in the best of moods at the moment. Her quick glare was all he received by way of a reply, and so he let the matter drop.

* * *

 

A good week to 10 days saw the tattoo healing nicely. It had been an uncomfortable first couple of days, with Law constantly having to make sure she wasn't accidentally scratching at it, or getting it soaked in water while she showered. Because of the placement, it also made sleeping a bit difficult, as she was forced to remain on her stomach the entire night. Lexi's habit of tossing and turning in her sleep created some unfortunate incidents when she'd wake up from the severe pain putting pressure on the new tattoo caused.

After the initial difficulty of getting used to the feeling on her back, Lexi actually began to feel ecstatic at getting it. Each time she passed the mirror, she'd turn and glance at the black mark, delicately fingering the edge with wonder. It wasn't for vanity's sake she'd gotten it. More like, it reminded her of why she had left her world to begin with and follow Law into this new one. The new friends she'd made, and the new life she'd chosen to pursue.

Lexi was brushing her hair in front of the mirror one night, well after the tattoo had healed over. The pain was very subtle and manageable, and still throbbed every once in awhile. It was bearable, though. Law walked in behind her, stopping when he saw the sleep shorts and tank top that was Lexi's pajamas. He approached behind her, and she eyed him curiously. He held her reflection's gaze, slowly lowering his mouth to the mark on her back, kissing it softly.

He'd taken to paying quite a bit of attention to her new tattoo, always finding an opportunity to gently graze his fingers against it, or kiss it as he did now. Though he hadn't ever mentioned it directly, the brunette was convinced that he was secretly thrilled she'd decided to have it done. Letting out a soft hum of pleasure, Lexi closed her eyes and leaned into him, allowing him to wrap his arms around her waist to support her. They stayed like that for awhile, Law simply inhaling her sweet scent of rose after having taken a shower before bed, and Lexi reveling in the feel of being in his arms.

Yes, it was good to be a Heart Pirate, Lexi thought.


	23. Happy Birthday To Me

Lexi woke up and rubbed her eyes, yawning tiredly. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night. Well, shit, she hadn't really gotten a lot of sleep for about a month now. And if the feeling of exhaustion and the urge to go back to sleep was any indication, it was beginning to stack on top of one another, cumulating the lack of sleep to a larger degree. Shrugging and standing from the bed, the brunette wandered over to the bathroom to shower for the day. The room smelled predominantly of her perfume nowadays, almost overwhelmingly so. It was a bit nauseating, to be quite frank.

She managed through the shower, in no rush to really go about the rest of the day. It would be pretty mundane as usual. They'd be landing at their destination soon, but until then, their days had been spent lounging around and keeping on the lookout for any enemy ships passing by. They'd taken care to avoid a fight if at all possible the last little while, just for precaution. Lexi didn't think today would be much different, save for the obvious.

Lexi was turning 24. The crew was eager to celebrate. Herself…not so much.

Figuring she'd only be wasting water if she stood there any longer, prolonging the inevitable, Lexi turned off the showered and stepped out into the slightly chillier bathroom air, snatching the towel from the rack to avoid the cold. The brunette went through her usual routine of drying off, dressing, blowdrying her hair, and putting on her makeup for the day. She felt sluggish still.

With a deep sigh, she prepared herself for all the well-wishes she was bound to receive for the rest of the day, and, debating only for a moment if they would notice if she never left the room at all, Lexi stepped out into the hallway outside and closed it behind her.

"Happy birthday, Lexi-chan!" She immediately heard to her left, where Holly and Ikkaku stood with excited smiles. She managed a half one in return.

"Thanks guys." She raised a brow then. "How long have you been waiting out here?"

"Hmm…what time is it?" Holly questioned with a giggle.

Lexi recalled the time on the clock in the bathroom. "About 10."

Ikkaku looked surprised. "Oh, then only an hour."

"Seriously? A whole hour? You didn't have to, you know…"

Holly waved Lexi's words away, disregarding them entirely. "So what? We wanted to. Now, let's get you to the kitchen for your birthday breakfast!" And, without waiting for her approval, they turned her by the shoulders and marched her off towards the mess deck where the rest of the crew was bound to be.

* * *

The morning went by in mostly a blur, with dozens of 'Happy Birthdays' tossed her way. Lexi tried to be as positive as possible, considering it was an unusual occasion onboard the sub, and the others were only trying to be nice, after all. It would be rude to simply be depressed the whole day. So she put on a happy face and smiled along with the others as they talked and socially celebrated the special occasion.

After breakfast, the majority of the crew went off to do their jobs for the day, promising Lexi that the gift the crew had collectively gotten for her would be given after dinner that night. She'd widened her eyes in surprise, not expecting a present at all. But they insisted, and she was powerless to refuse anyways, so Lexi had to accept it either way.

Holly and Ikkaku accompanied her wherever she went, whether it be the training room to work out, the infirmary to study some more, the kitchen to grab a light lunch, the top deck to help Bepo fish, or the bathroom to pee. They were practically attached to Lexi's hip, and no matter how many passive aggressive hints that they didn't have to remain with her the entire day, they didn't seem to notice or care. It was like they'd made it their personal mission to make sure Lexi had a fun birthday, in the only way they knew how.

Lexi appreciated the effort, but began to get a little annoyed with the incessant talking after a few hours. Being too nice of a person, she didn't want to tell them no, finally deciding to put up with it. Who was she to stop them? They were only trying to help, after all.

Their discussion never ventured past superficial topics; the weather, the next island they would be landing on, the cute guys and ladies that the two other women had seen in previous bars, past hookup stories, etc. A few caught and held Lexi's attention, but most were things she'd already been told previously or wasn't too interested in. Holly and Ikkaku, however, continued on, determined to make her day a good one.

Finally, after another few hours of listening to the both of them talk, they apologized, stating they had to go relieve their shifts and work for several hours, but that they would see her during dinner. And with that the both of them left, throwing Lexi into a surprisingly uncomfortable silence. The nonstop noise now made the quiet…strange. It always seemed to be that way though.

She spent the rest of the day holed up in the infirmary studying, both out of habit and because she didn't really want to think too much about anything in particular. Throwing herself into her studies, it was a bit startling when a crew member came to retrieve her for dinner. Time had flown by, and Lexi put away the many medical books strewn about the desk, following after the crew mate with a tiny smile.

Dinner was a bit more luxurious than their normal meals. Lexi had quickly found that tonkatsu was a new favorite of hers, seeing as she had to get used to a completely new and exotic diet, according to her tastes. The chef had prepared just that, dishing out the servings, giving her extra helpings of course, to the entire crew. They all enjoyed their meal together, laughing and joking, and giving her more birthday wishes.

Right after she'd finished her meal, before Lexi even got the chance to stand from her seat, someone had placed a box directly in front of her, and she looked quizzically at them.

"It's your present!" They said, gesturing for her to open it. Raising a brow in amusement, she ripped open the wrapping, opening the box inside. Lifting the item out, it unfolded to present itself as a snow-cap, complete with a pom-pom on top for added effect. It was gray, with ears on either side of the pom-pom, and the face of a wolf. She smiled, placing it over her hair.

"This is great, guys! Thanks." She said, pleased with her gift. Shachi rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, we figured the rest of us had hats besides you. Now, you're officially a Heart Pirate!" The company cheered, and she joined them for a drink as the sake supply was passed around.

* * *

The party in the kitchen lasted awhile, with the chef finishing off the meal by bringing out a large cake with her name on it in icing. She blew out the solitary candle and everyone tucked into the dessert. Given the size of the crew, it was gone in a matter of minutes, bits of frosting the only evidence there had even been cake on it at all.

Lexi tried her best to enjoy the atmosphere of the mess deck, having fun with her companions as much as she could, but compared to the rest, she was far from a regular partier, and excused herself after an hour or so to get some air.

Figuring that there was nothing to do inside the sub, Lexi wandered back up to the top deck and leaned against the railing, watching the waves splash against the side of the hull. It was rhythmic, calming, and the warmth of the sun helped to ease her stress. Her mood quickly lightening, Lexi smiled sweetly to herself, staring out at the ocean, painted orange from the quickly-descending sun.

There was nothing in all directions. It would still be several days to their next destination, but Lexi always found it quite jarring that there could be absolutely nothing for miles. In her previous world, she'd never been out at sea, and had never before experienced this feeling of isolation so vast that she could actually imagine being the only thing around for miles. How small it made her feel…

More out of reflex than anything, Lexi took out a small piece of white paper; it was the half Bepo had allowed her to keep of the Vivre card, knowing how much she worried if anything had happened to it. Laying it on her hand, she watched as it began sliding towards her, and she turned, walking to the other railing to overlook that direction. Still, there was nothing as far as the eye could see, and her mind wandered.

Lexi didn't let it happen often, but given the circumstances, she supposed she could allow it this once. She thought about Nana, about Brittany, and, rather reluctantly, about Logan. Was Brittany doing alright? Had she moved away like she always said she would? That woman was always talking about visiting dozens of other countries, traveling the world with her future husband, living in luxury without a care in the world. Hopefully things worked out that way for her.

It still hurt to remember that she'd never been able to attend Nana's funeral. Everything was left in Brittany's hands, however, and Lexi didn't doubt that the black-haired woman had done everything in her power to make sure it was both beautiful and fitting of Nana's character. Perhaps she could figure out some way of honoring her in this world…

Logan still caused her nightmares, but at a lesser frequency nowadays. Though, the past month or so they'd begun to pick back up. They weren't always the same, though commonly shared similar scenes or sounds. Visions of a dark forest, and of a burning pain in her legs. A sing-song voice floating through her ears, never quite clear enough to pinpoint a direction…She shook her head, deciding that that was enough for now.

How her life had changed…both in a good and bad way. Lexi did not regret leaving her world behind, nor did she think she ever would. For as dangerous as this place could get, it was exciting, and gave her a purpose, a reason to keep living.

For quite some time, Lexi enjoying the time to herself, watching the sea, eyes drawn to the little white piece of paper in her hand.

A distant 'caw!' caught her attention, and she looked up, noticing a bird flying towards them from overhead. It had on a paperboy's hat, and had a mail bag clung across it's body. She'd never get used to seeing a bird delivering mail, intelligently, at that, but stood up straighter as it approached. She then noticed it carried something in its front claws as it descended towards her.

She stepped back, allowing the bird enough room to land without impediment. Flapping its wings to slow its descent, it landed gracefully on the railing, holding the wrapped item in one claw delicately. It cawed again, regarding her passively, before nodding its beak up and down, as if trying to communicate. Realizing it was always extending the claw carrying the item out towards her, Lexi stepped forward and reached for the wrapped package, watching as the bird dropped it into her hand happily.

"Caw! Caw!" It said, before flapping its wings and soaring back into the sky, away from the deck of the submarine. Lexi watched it leave, before turning her attention to the wrapped item. Carefully drawing it open, she smiled wide, gently picking up the single red rose it contained. Inhaling the sweet floral scent, she saw a little white card tied to the stem of the flower, with words written in a loopy, gold-colored scrawl.

_Yes, I remembered. Happy Birthday._

Lexi's smile grew wider, and she inspected the rose again, tenderly feeling the softness of the petals. It was miraculous that it had been kept intact during the bird's flight, but the wrapping must have certainly done its job well. Turning, she wandered off back into the submarine, in search of a vase to hold her rose. She wanted it to last as long as it could.

* * *

_*Several Days Previously*_

Law paid for the package to be delivered and left the mail office without incident, heading back towards the cafe at which the other members of his team were waiting. One glance around ensured he was alone in the alley, so he was quick to make sure the disguise was still correctly in place. He pulled the hood of his jacket further down over his hat, hoping to keep it as hidden as possible.

Reappearing around the corner, the captain made his way back over to the table where Usopp, Robin, and Caesar were all seated. Without a word, he took his place at the table, crossing his arms as he began to observe the crowd around them. No one seemed to notice or care about him coming to sit with the other three, all of which were eating lightly to avoid suspicion.

"Run an important errand?" The black-haired woman questioned with a small smile, as if she knew exactly what he had been doing. Narrowing his eyes just slightly behind the black sunglasses, Law nodded wordlessly, absently taking a sip of the coffee in front of him, eyes never ceasing their movement on the street across from them.

"I'm sure she'll appreciate the gift." Robin continued knowingly with that damned smile, causing him to frown.

"Tch." He scoffed, cocking his head to the side. "Mind your own business." Though he tried to sound intimidating, she merely laughed under her breath, continuing to sip at her own drink.


	24. Allies

"Please, just lay down." Lexi instructed the wolf mink, seeing him grimace in pain from the excess movement. The slash across his torso was severe, and Lexi's bandages could only do so much.

"I've got to…urgh…rescue Duke Dogstorm." He groaned, almost howling from the stretching of his stitches. Lexi placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, slowly pushing him to lay back down in the improvised medical cot; meaning, a blanket placed on the ground to indicate an empty bed.

"With all that gas out there, there's nothing you could do for him." She said sadly, eyes downcast in shame. She'd been on little help here, bandaging and stitching wounds, while the real threat was out there among all the fighting, whoever this 'Jack' guy was. She hadn't seen his face, but the horror stories of the wounded she attended to had painted an ugly picture.

"But-" The wolf mink tried again, and Lexi shook her head sadly.

"You need to regain your full strength before going back out there. You'd be of no use with that injury." She tried explaining, gesturing to the slash on his chest. He glanced down ashamedly, finally closing his eyes and nodding his agreement.

"Nurse!" Someone called out amongst the dozens of wounded on the floor of the 'infirmary.' Really, it was just a cleared-out room in the fortress, out of reach of the gas itself, with enough space to house the multitudes of casualties that were seeking treatment. Smoothing back her disheveled hair, Lexi stood with a reassuring, tight smile directed towards the wolf and went off to find who had called her.

* * *

 

Three days of endless nursing, both to minks and Heart Pirates alike. Thankfully, a few of the uninjured pirates who had a little bit of medical training were there to help her, but seeing as Lexi had been training under Law for quite some time, and the most extensively-trained medics in the crew were all currently dying of the poison gas, she was the appointed doctor in charge in the interim.

She staggered a few steps, gripping onto a nearby table for support. Her vision swam, and she groaned. It had been awhile since she'd had a nap, but there were still people to help, antibiotics and pain medication to distribute. Now was not the time. Shaking off the fatigue, she stumbled away towards where the cry had come from.

They needed a miracle. Desperately.

* * *

 

"Lexi-chan!" One of her crew mates helping with the nursing cried, pointing out one of the glass windows of the room. "Lexi-chan, look!"

Finding the strength to run over, she peered out, along with several other members of mink and pirate alike, to see the skies above the forest and the ruined city. The green-colored poison was now being overtaken by a lavender-colored, unknown gas. As they watched, the two gases began to intermingle in the air, shifting and separating again, until both began to fade from view, and the sky was a clear blue again.

"Is…is the poison gone?" She asked no one in particular, eyes darting back and forth to try to see what had happened. There was no indication of the cause.

"What happened?"

"Is Jack back?"

"What was that purple stuff?"

The commotion of questions behind her, both from the conscious patients and her fellow medics, was beginning to give her a headache. She turned and pointed back to the room. "Keep treating the wounded! Just because the gas is gone doesn't mean people still aren't dying of it!"

Her declaration had its affect, and the others rushed to the sides of patients again, helping to ease the pain and bandage open wounds.

Lexi's eyes returned to the sky for just a moment before returning to the patient she'd been helping, wondering what in the world was going on.

* * *

 

Lexi was taking a much-needed fifteen minute break from tending to the wounded, sitting in the corner of the room with some fruit that grew on the island. Some of the uninjured minks had brought the medical team food to replenish their energy, and Lexi was eternally grateful, biting into the juicy peach-tasting fruit she was currently eating.

She didn't want to stray too far from the medics working, seeing as they'd had to call her over for help on several occasions already. Eyes half-lidded from exhaustion, her determination to stay awake to help the only thing keeping her conscious, she was startled when the door burst open and a small, football-helmet-wearing creature strode into the room with a purpose.

"I'm a doctor! How can I help?" The small animal asked, and it was then that Lexi noticed the antlers protruding from the sides of the helmet, and she rose to her feet.

"Who are you?" She questioned, and the creature turned to regard her. It was small, no taller than the height to her knees, but the…reindeer? wore a serious expression behind that mask of his. He crossed his arms nodded resolutely.

"I'm Chopper, and I'm a doctor! Now, please tell me what been going on! What have the symptoms for the gas been? Are there any severely wounded? We'll begin making the antidote for the poison immediately."

Her heart skipped a beat. "You know the antidote?" Her disbelief was evident on her face, and Chopper nodded.

"We have someone who can help with that." He stated, and the little reindeer took off the helmet to begin seeing to the currently wounded. Lexi followed after him, thankful that she was no longer the only one that seemed to know what they were doing when it came to medicine. Chopper was straight to the point, and she Lexi dashed her distracting thoughts, throwing herself one more time into the tending of the injured.

* * *

 

"Amazing…" She whispered, watching as Chopper began to distribute the small bags of antidote for those who had been affected by the poison. In the span of a few hours, they'd been able to combat the effects, and already their most critical condition patients were beginning to improve by unimaginable degrees.

While the treatment of the gas didn't pertain to all of the injured, a large portion of them were upgraded to a serious or stable category, enough to where some of the injured were healthy enough to get up and walk out for themselves, off to find food or their comrades.

Lexi worked beside her reindeer companion, helping to pass out the antidote, and fixing dressings that may have come loose in the span of all the commotion. People were in higher spirits again, something Lexi wouldn't have been able to do by herself. She silently thanked God that Chopper had showed up when he did. Not to mention, his medical knowledge was extensive, just as vast as Law. And maybe to a higher degree, perhaps.

Once all of the bags had been passed out, Lexi slumped against the wall, her head pounding from lack of sleep, rubbing at her eyes in a futile attempt to stop them from closing. Chopped immediately noticed her condition and ran over to help her. Even sitting down, he didn't seem to stand higher than the top of her head.

"You look exhausted. How long have you been awake?" He asked, placing his hoof on her forehead carefully. She gave a humorless laugh, a tiny smile on her lips.

"Umm…maybe three and a half days…four? Something like that…" Chopper looked impressed, or shocked, or both, because he started tugging at her arm in an attempt to drag her from the wall.

"You need to get some rest right now! You've done a great job keeping everyone alive after what happened, but now you need to rest as well. I'll take over and oversee the medical attention from here." The little reindeer promised, and Lexi had no other inclination than to believe him wholeheartedly. Sluggishly standing, she allowed the little doctor to drag her from the room to the one neighboring. He opened the door and pushed her inside.

"Don't come out into you're fully rested!" His tiny voice yelled, shutting the door behind her.

Lexi looked around and noticed a bed on the other side of the empty room. Never one to ignore a doctor's order, she rushed over and lay down, almost falling asleep before her head hit the pillow.

* * *

 

The Heart Pirate honestly had no idea when she awoke, grumbling face-first into the comforter she lay on. The exhaustion from whenever she'd last been awake had dissipated with the opportunity to sleep, though she still felt groggy and irritated. Then, remembering where she was, she shot up in bed, looking around at the room.

It was still empty, but there was light trickling in through the window. She calmed, realizing that it was the next morning. At least she hadn't been passed out for too long. Standing from the bed, she made her way over to the door after fixing her hair, opening it to step out into the hallway.

Many of the minks she'd recognized from tending their injuries were up and walking, looking decidedly healthier than they had the last she saw them. Smiling, she followed them down the hallway, where most were heading towards. A loud noise reached her ears, and she cocked her head, wondering what the commotion was. It sounded jovial, whatever it was. A party, perhaps?

She stepped out into the courtyard, in front of the fortress, where both recovering minks, pirates, and…humans? alike were walking around, talking casually. She raised a brow, feeling like she recognized the faces. A tall, blonde man. A shorter, orange-haired woman. Chopper, the reindeer. And a…Lexi stopped in her tracks, looking up at the tall, lean skeleton man!

"Woah…" She muttered, coming up closer to the four strangers. That feeling that she should know who these people were strengthened, but it wouldn't click. Approaching the other humans, the blonde man noticed her first.

"Ooooh~! Lovely ladyyyy~! Garchuuuuuu~!" He cried, throwing his arms up in the air and sprinting straight for her. The man was closing the distance between them at unimaginable speeds, and, panicking, Lexi punched him straight into the ground as soon as he was in range.

"Who the hell are you?" She cried, taking few steps backwards. Holding her hands up at the ready should the man try anything else, Lexi watched as the blonde man's companions ran up closer. He continued twitching on the ground from her attack, muttering 'Pretty Lady' and 'garchu' several times to himself.

"Sanji-kun! I told you to stop running up on women like that…Huh? Who are you, anyway?" The orange-haired woman questioned when they got closer, cocking her head in confusion. "I thought we were the only humans on Zou besides the Heart Pirates…oh! You must be one of them!" She reasoned, suddenly giving a big smile.

"How do you know that?" Lexi questioned uneasily, glancing back and forth between these strange people.

"Law told us that he was coming here to meet back up with you guys after defeating Doflamingo." Chopper supplied helpfully, and Lexi's eyebrows rose, clicking all the pieces together.

"You guys are the Straw Hats, aren't you?" The brunette watched as the other members nodded proudly, and Sanji as the orange-haired woman had called him rose from the ground, staggering to his full height, sporting a rather nasty bruise on his face. "Uh, sorry about that, dude. Just don't run up on me like that. Freaked me out."

"No, no! It was I who was at fault, startling a lovely woman such as yourself." Sanji cried, twirling around in recovery and leaning down to one knee, bringing Lexi's hand up to his lips to place a kiss on it. "Though I am worthy of no such honor, please, enlighten my very being with your name, mellorine!"

The brunette stared down at Sanji, who's eyes were closed in wait for her response, and then looked to his companions, who all looked unfazed and/or annoyed with his actions just as much as she was. Trying to remove her hand from his grip, she was unsuccessful. "Uh…Lexi." Was her response after a moment.

"Lexi! A beautiful name for someone just as lovely, my mellorine!" Sanji cried. "It must be fate that we have-" Suddenly he stopped, an expression of great thought on his face, as he stared at her own face.

"Is…something wrong?" She questioned in confusion, wondering what had caused him to stop so suddenly, but at least he was distracted enough so she could tug her hand back down to her side. In the meantime, his companions entered the conversation again, stepping closer to greet her.

"I'm Nami, by the way. You can ignore him," the orange-haired woman added, gesturing to Sanji with her thumb, "he's always like that."

"Right…" Lexi agreed, unsure of how to process all of this. Sanji was still thinking hard, but Lexi's attention was focused back on the tall skeleton man, who was bowing deeply before her.

"It is wonderful to meet you, Lexi-san. I am 'Soul King' Brook."

"Oh, hello." The Heart Pirate replied uncertainly, still trying to wrap her head around how he could be moving around without any muscles tissue in sight. The whole anatomy of his being didn't seem to follow the natural laws of the universe. Still, she was trying her best to be nice and make acquaintances. After all, they were supposed to be allies. "Again, I'm Lexi, one of the medics for the Heart Pirates."

"I see, it seems Nami's theory was correct." Brook nodded wisely, turning to view her face. "In that case, my I see your panties?"

Before Lexi could retort, Nami seethed, kicking the skeleton in the face and several feet to the left. "Like hell you can, pervert!" She screamed, following after him to give him another beatdown. Lexi was left standing there, utterly confused and bewildered by this…pirate crew…if she could even call them that. They seemed like nothing more than a bunch of perverts, misfits, and crazies thrown together on a boat…and the worst part was, she hadn't even met all of them yet. The chances weren't good for the rest to be decent, normal people, though.

"Right, so I'm assuming you're part of their crew, Chopper?" She asked the small reindeer, and he nodded with a wide smile.

"Mhmm!" Lexi returned the gesture, laughing a little.

"Well, based on what I've seen of the people who were hurt, you've got quite a medical background. They're lucky to have a doctor of your skill." She beamed, recalling how in control Chopper had the situation in the infirmary as soon as he entered. He didn't look it, but he was knowledgable beyond where she imagined she'd be in several years still. "Definitely one of the best I've ever seen, even comparable to Law himself, and that's something I don't say lightly."

Chopper blushed heavily, before placing his hooves on his cheeks and swaying side to side with embarrassment. "Baka~! Your compliments don't affect me at all~! Just shut up, get the hell away from me~!" Despite the insulting words, Chopper's face was wide with a pleased smile, and Lexi sighed.

_Are any of these people actually normal?_

"Oi." Sanji said, catching her attention. Absent was the hearts in his eyes, and instead, a sudden seriousness replaced his jovial mood. "You said your name was Lexi?"

She nodded, not seeing why that was important, or what it had to do with what he was thinking about before. "Yeah, why?"

"You're from that… _other_ place, aren't you? Through the gray mist?"

Through the…she frowned, not quite following what he was asking, before recalling a memory long ago. Her eyes widened, and without having to confirm or deny the statement, Sanji seemed to take it as a yes. He took a long drag on a cigarette, blowing it into the air calmly, before eyeing her again.

"It wasn't too long ago, but we found that place too. Met a woman named Brittany, and she wanted me to pass a message onto you if we ever met."

Lexi was stunned, too stunned for words, certainly, and she was only able to nod mutely. Today was much more than she could take.

"She said to tell you she loves and misses you."

"You found-" Lexi started, but was interrupted by one of the dog minks, Wanda was her name if she recalled, running up towards them in hurry.

"Straw Hats! Pekoms has returned home." She said seriously, not looking all that excited for the return of what Lexi assumed to be one of the minks.

"Pekoms?" Nami questioned aloud, thinking seriously over it, before looking shocked. "Wait, isn't he part of Big Mom's crew!? How did they find us!?" Her hands went over her cheeks in panic, but Sanji and Brook recovered from their previous states of being beat up, looking much more serious than before.

"Leave this to us." Sanji said, following Wanda, Brook trailing behind him, as they headed off towards wherever this Pekoms guy was. Lexi watched curiously. With the Straw Hats here, things were certain to get a little crazier.

Nami and Chopper stayed behind with Lexi, and before long, they all wandered back into the fortress, discussing the missing members of their crew and how the mission had gone. Lexi was dying to know what exactly Law had been up to while away, as he'd only given them a brief, vague description of his plan, and these two Straw Hats seemed the perfect source for all of the details. And, for as wicked as Nami appeared to be around her male companions, Lexi had a feeling the two of them were going to get along quite well.


	25. Welcome Back

**Chapter is Rated M for its Lemon Scent.**

"Chopper?" Lexi called, ducking her head into the room where Duke Inuarashi was resting peacefully. She hadn't expected the mink leader to be awake yet, and she was correct, watching him snore loudly, the blanket covering his body moving up and down with each breath. She pursed her lips, eyes flicking around to look for the cute little reindeer in particular.

"Dr. Chopper?" She called again, leaving the Duke's room and heading off down the hall. Where had he gone? The fortress wasn't that large to begin with, and she'd already been searching ten whole minutes.

A high-pitched screaming came from further in the fortress, and Lexi stopped, listening intently to see who it was or where it came from. It wasn't a scream of pain or fear, rather of excitement or high emotion. She frowned, hearing it come closer, and thinking it sounded a lot like-

Suddenly, further down the hall, a pink-coated reindeer came barreling past, yelling Nami's name loudly as he did so. He disappeared behind the wall and Lexi jogged to see where it was he was going.

"Nami!" He cried, running his way to the further door on the left as Lexi saw from poking her head around the corner. "Nami!" Curious, she followed after him. There wasn't any sort of obligation to really follow him, but they'd gotten closer over the past several days due to their hours spent treating the wounded and going over medical techniques together.

"Chopper?" She called, seeing if she could gain the reindeer's attention, but he did not reappear from the room. He was still screaming something quite incoherent at this distance, and so she walked closer.

"They're finally here!" She caught, edging closer to the room. "They made it safely!"

Lexi froze, eyes widening at the revelation. They had finally returned? Had they really come back? Nami's enthusiastic response followed after Chopper's exclamation, and before she could think, the two Straw Hats bolted out of the room and past her in the opposite direction, barely giving the brunette a glance at all.

She jogged to try catching up with them, wanting to meet the rest of their crew, and her own Captain, of course, but the sound of her name being called stopped her in her tracks.

"Dr. Lexi!" The Heart Pirate turned, sighing at the use of the inaccurate title. Despite her adamance that she was not _that_ extensively trained in medicine, they refused to call her otherwise. She looked to see a tiger mink running to catch up with her, before pointing down the hallway he had just come.

"Dr. Lexi, could you take a look at Master Nekomamushi's wounds again? He's refusing to cooperate with Dr. Chopper's order to sleep. A few of his bandages have unfurled."

Lexi sighed in irritation, rubbing at her forehead. "Gah, that damned cat." She muttered under her breath, knowing something like this would have happened again. "Yes, I'll be right there. Let me go get some extra supplies just in case."

The mink nodded before heading off where he'd come from, leaving Lexi standing alone in the hallway.

"That cat will use up all the medical supplies at this rate…we're low on bandages enough as it is…" Lexi continued to grumbled, walking off towards the infirmary to gather the things she'd need.

* * *

Law meandered through the woods, eyes closely following the direction the small piece of paper in his hand pulled towards. The surrounding landscape was alive with birds and other small animals chattering in the trees, almost distracting him from his task, but he kept determined, feeling a coil of anticipation and excitement as he got closer and closer to wherever the Vivre card took him. It had been almost three months since his departure. Three months since he'd last seen his crew. Too long, in his opinion. He'd missed those familiar faces.

Rolling his arm idly to try to dissipate some of the numbness that had begun to spread from the recently reattached limb, he nearly missed the dozens of heads that poked out from the bushes up ahead, right at the edge of a clearing in the pathway. He visibly smirked, casually walking closer and closer until-

"CAPTAIN!" Law winced at the volume of the cry, taking a cautionary step backwards as the entirety of his crew jumped out from their cover and ran towards where he was standing. Most prominent among them was his one and only first mate, clad in his customary orange boiler suit, and who was determinately sprinting his way over. Frowning in slight concerned, Law wondered if he would slow down or-

"Nngh!" He grunted, taking the full force of Bepo's tackle as the bear threw his entire body around him. Somehow the Captain was able to stay standing, but was also being involuntarily crushed between the tight embrace from his friend and the bear's sheer weight.

"You came for us!" Bepo cried out, affectionately rubbing his furry face onto Law's, uncaring that he was crying tears of joy all over his friend. "I missed you!" If he didn't know him any better, Law would have immediately demanded to be released, but he figured that they'd likely react in this way to begin with. It wasn't that big of a surprise, actually.

"Bepo…" He wheezed out, struggling to get a full intake of air. It wasn't that he didn't like the loud and sudden welcome from his friends, but the need to breathe outweighed any sort of joy he was currently feeling from the reunion. His lungs were slowing burning.

"All of the members of the Heart Pirates are here!" The first mate continued, seeming to hug onto his friend and Captain tighter than before. The rest of the crew must have seen Law's predicament, and Shachi stepped forward.

"Oi, Bepo! Are you trying to suffocate him?"

"Huh?" The bear stilled for several moments, realization dawning that Law was currently wincing in both pain and the effort of trying to breathe. "Oh! Sorry, sorry." He apologized with a laugh, hastily jumping off of his Captain with ease. The fact that he almost choked his own Captain to death didn't seem to bother him, considering the bear still wore a wide smile of relief.

Law sucked in a large breath, grinning despite the fact. "Nice to know I've been missed, at least." The ones nearest to him chuckled, but Bepo continued on with excitement.

"Captain, I'm so amazed that you beat Doflamingo!" Clenching his fists from the sheer awesomeness of the thought. A few other crew members were nodding in agreement, obviously caught up in the excitement, but Law raised a brow dubiously.

"No, that was Straw Hat-ya's-"

"We've got so much to catch you up on! Come on, we've got a camp set up further in the forest." Penguin interrupted, gestured behind them to indicate for him to follow.

Law considered trying to get the message across again that defeating Doflamingo had, in fact, _not_ been his doing, but figured it would be a waste of breath. They would believe what they wanted to. So, sighing with a smile, he stepped forwards, following after his crew mates. "Ok."

They cheered again, all turning to head towards the camp they had mentioned before. Law took that moment to inspect his crew out of sheer relief. They all seemed to be in good condition, though from the bandages on Bepo's head, and a few bumps and bruises on a few of the others, it seemed they had participated in a fight just recently. That, or they'd been training together to pass the time. His hope was the latter, but with the state of the country when they'd first arrived, his gut told him the former.

His eyes narrowed, searching the crowd of pirates, who were discussing their Captain's return amongst themselves, with the dawning that he didn't spot one person that he expected to see. "Where is Lexi-ya?" Law asked Bepo, who wouldn't stray far from his side. At first he began to wonder if something was wrong, but when it became apparent that nobody looked worried or said anything about the brunette's absence, it lead him to believe nothing was overtly wrong about the situation.

"Oh, that's right!" Bepo remembered, turning to regard his friend. "Lexi decided to stay with the Mink people and help the ones who most needed medical attention. Both her and the Straw Hat's doctor are treating the wounded."

"Wounded? What happened?" Law raised a brow in curiosity, recalling the ruined entrance gate and city they'd first encountered when finding the island. They'd just gotten here and there were already more problems? This wasn't turning out like he'd hoped.

"Wait until we get back to camp, and we'll fill you in on everything that's happened since you left. It's a bit of a long story." Penguin said from further up ahead. Law hummed, passing through the trees to accompany his crew to their camp.

* * *

After dealing with the Cat Lord, Lexi hurried to go meet the new arrivals in the courtyard, descending the steps of the fortress hastily to meet her Captain again. Her smile began to widen, seeing a large, loud crowd of people gathered towards the from of the gate. She pushed through groups of minks in an attempt to get closer, then stopped short just at the edge of the clearing.

Law was nowhere to be found. Her smile faded, then turned into a small frown, as she stared out at the unfamiliar faces that were being greeted by the minks in attendance; a black-haired man with a blatant hat of straw on his head, whom Lexi assumed to be the Captain Luffy. Behind him were others; a tall, black haired woman, a dark-skinned man with an unbelievably long nose, a green-haired man with three swords at his hip, and a huge, blue-haired man who looked more like a robot than a human.

Lexi deadpanned. Yes, the rest of the crew were just as crazy as the first she'd met, just by appearance. Though, the black-haired woman looked pretty normal. Maybe there was still hope.

Feeling decidedly less enthusiastic about this reunion, Lexi searched the edges of the crowd, just in case she'd missed her Captain anywhere. He was nowhere to be found, yet she continued to search even as everyone began trickling inside the fortress for a feast in the Straw Hat's honor. The medic still followed the crowd, wondering where on earth her Captain could be.

* * *

Lexi found herself seated between the green-haired man, who's name she figured out was Zoro, and the blue-haired man named Franky. The both of them busy either pushing away the overly affectionate minks in the former's case, or welcoming them with glee in the latter's. The setting was still rather jovial, but Lexi couldn't help but feel like the arrival of the new people was a bit bittersweet, considering her own nakama was still missing. She wondered why.

Franky must have noticed her sigh, or just the lack of talk and merriment as the rest of them, and he turned to regard her for the first time. "Eh? I don't think we've met before. You're one of those Heart Pirates, right?"

She nodded, taking a small sip from the drink in her hand. "Yeah, I'm Lexi, one of the medics."

"Ouh! A pleasure to make your acquaintance!" He exclaimed, doing his apparently 'famous' Super Stance, giving her a grin in greeting. "Seems like you're a little under the weather, though. What's got you down?"

"Oh, nothing really. I'm just waiting for the rest of my crew to come along." She admitted with a shrug. "During the attack, I stayed here to help treat wounded while the others fought. But afterwards, they made camp in the forest to wait for Law to return."

"Missing your nakama, I see? That's understandable!" He smirked, producing a comb seemingly out of nowhere and fixing his hair. "I'm sure they'll be back soon. Your Captain left earlier to go find you guys anyways!"

"Really?" Lexi perked up, relieved to hear the first confirmation that Law was, in fact, on Zou. It had yet to be verbalized, but now her worry seemed to decrease with that admission. "Well, then I guess I'll just wait for them all to get here."

"In the mean time, you get to party with us! Ouh!"

Lexi grinned, but was distracted by Zoro on her other side, who must have been eavesdropping on their conversation. "You're a Heart Pirate?" He asked, chugging from his mug pink of whatever alcohol the minks had available.

She nodded, figuring she'd probably have to answer that exact question multiple times during the course of the night. These pirates didn't seem to really get it the first time.

"Hmph. Guess you're our ally then." He didn't seem too thrilled by that revelation, though, nighter did Lexi. Especially considering these people were as crazy as crazy could get. "How tough was this Jack guy anyways?"

Lexi shrugged, picking bits from her plate and nibbling on them throughout the conversation. "I never saw him face to face, but from what the others have told me, he never was taken down, even after 5 whole days of fighting."

"Ah, sounds like a worthy challenge." He grinned, proceeding to turn the other way and ignore anything that Lexi may have wanted to say next. Not that there way. But still. Rude.

She raised a brow, attention suddenly caught by Luffy who was seated beside Zoro. Using his rubber powers, which Lexi had yet to actually witness, he reached across the space for the food and grabbed another few items of dinner, a moment later his arm snapping back into place with the meat in hand. She sweatdropped, her tolerance of strange slowly sinking lower and lower. Sooner or later, her brain was probably going to explode from all the stimuli.

"Ooh!" Came his sudden cry, spotting her sitting at the edge of the gathering. "Are you going to eat that?" He asked, eyeing the half-eaten leg of meat still on her plate.

"Actually-"

Before she could fully form a sentence, his rubber arm shot towards the meat and wrapped around it, pulling it back towards him where he prompts stuffed the whole thing in his mouth, devouring it in one bite.

"…I guess not." She finished lamely, lowering her hand which she'd raised in defense. Luffy laughed wholeheartedly, pulling the bare bone from her meat out of his mouth and threw it onto the plate with dozens of the same.

"You're one of Tra-guy's friends, aren't you?" He smiled wide with closed eyes. "Traffy is pretty cool when you get to know him! Is he always that grumpy though?"

Lexi nearly spit out the mouth full of juice she was currently drinking at his questions. Swallowing it harshly, she burst into laughter, holding her sides in from the stitch that threatened to form.

A few of the Straw Hats nearest her gave her a strange look, but she soon calmed down enough to speak again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but..did you say…Tra-guy? Traffy!?"

"Yup! Traffy never seems to smile that much. Don't you guys do fun thinks on your adventure? If you don't, you should! Maybe that'll cheer him up."

Lexi was still struggling to contain her amusement, holding her mouth shut as she laughed at the atrocious nickname Luffy had attributed to her Captain. Oh, she was _so_ going to use that against him someday. Already, she could imagine the unamused and angry look on his face when she called him that. Endless amounts of teasing were now being formulated.

Lexi tried keeping her giggling under control, but a few fits escaped her power. "I'll be sure to…hehehehe…tell him that."

"Great!" Luffy smiled widely, directing his attention to the long-nosed man across the room. "Usopp! Do they have more meat? I want more meat!"

The two began a heated conversation about the concept of moderation during meals, but Lexi tuned out most of it, instead trying to finish he rest of the food on her own plate before one of Luffy's rubber hands snatched out to grab it first. The morose mood from before seemed to ebb away slowly, and she felt much more content with herself after several minutes. Perhaps she was just overly emotional today. It had been pretty crazy to begin with, anyways.

Or, she was just missing her Captain. That was also likely.

* * *

Law and the rest of his crew followed the path back to the fortress, with his subordinates talking quietly amongst themselves. Or, rather loudly, in Shachi and Penguin's case, about whether they had looked cooler than the other battling against Jack's men. Law rolled his eyes, and they rounded the bend in the road. The pathway ahead cleared and opened up, revealing the hulking mass of the fortress itself. Already, he could see several of the Straw Hat members visibly goofing around in the front, and he prepared himself for another episode of antics he'd rather not deal with at that moment.

As they approached closer, he could hear bits and pieces of their conversation, such as the swordsman's threats against a ridiculously large cat creature laying unconscious on the steps, whom the reindeer was currently trying to heal up again. And, whom Luffy was also currently jumping up and down on. Law sighed. What possessed him to make this alliance in the first place, he'd never remember clearly enough to put up with their shenanigans without complaint.

Luffy perked up, finally noticing him and his crew walking up towards them. "Oh, Tra-guy!" He called, and the Heart Pirates Captain inwardly twitched at the awful nickname. "Ah! Are those your friends?"

Glad that they were finally getting to the point, Law nodded, gesturing behind him to indicate those serving under him. "Yeah, I came to introduce you to them. They're my crew, 20 in total."

Of course, being the eccentrics that they are, his crew members all stuck a dramatic pose, greetings the Straw Hats with enthusiasm. Figuring that was enough of that, he walked closer to the Straw Hat Captain, now wanting to get onto business. "We need to talk."

Luffy turned towards him, but before they could speak another word, his men spoke up again in outrage.

"Slighted! Slighted! Captain, we feel slighted!"

Law sighed, tugging the brim of his hat over his eyes just a little more. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

After the feast of epic proportions, Lexi had excused herself to bed, feeling quite tired from the loud noises and overenthusiastic minks and people. She wasn't one of those types of people that could draw energy from the people around her. Retreating to be by herself was what recharged her battery, so to speak. So, without much warning to anyone other than Chopper, who asked in concern if she was feeling alright, she left the dining hall and went to find her own room.

It was pretty far into the fortress, set back aways initially because of the threat of the poisonous gas in the air when she'd first arrived, but now that it was gone, she had yet to request a new location. Not that she minded in the first place. In fact, because it was set further away from the Straw Hat's rooms than where it normally would be, Lexi was actually pretty grateful. The brunette got enough of them during the day as it was.

She'd found the room and wandered inside, quickly changing into something more comfortable to wear to bed. She yawned tiredly, dropping down onto the covers once she'd turned off the light, not bothering to get underneath them.

That had been several hours ago. And now, Lexi found herself being woken up to the sound of a loud knock at her door. She cracked open an eye, peering into the darkness to try to figure out who it could possibly be, but to no avail. Since the room was lacking a clock of any kind, it was impossible to tell just how late she was being woken. But, judging by her less-than-stellar mood as doing so, Lexi was willing to bet it was pretty damn late.

Hearing another few knocks from the wood door, she grumbled into he pillow. It didn't sound like the person at the door would be leaving anytime soon, and so she groggily rose from the bed and padded slowly over to the door, laying her hand on the knob for a few moments while she yawned.

Once again, the person knocked. Irritated, Lexi twisted the knob and threw open the door angrily. "What is it?" She spat, rubbing at her eyes to get rid of the sleep. If she was going to be angry at whoever this was, then she'd be-

She stopped, her eyes having opened to see just who was standing before her. An amused Law, complete with signature smirk and fuzzy hat…and the strange addition of a bandaged arm, was leaning against the doorframe. Lexi took her time to enjoy the sight of his half-open black shirt, admiring the tattoos that peeked into view from underneath teasingly. He didn't seem to mind the staring.

"Law?" She asked lamely, which caused him to laugh under his breath, pushing off the doorframe and stalking closer towards her. She took a few steps backwards, allowing him inside unwittingly.

"The one and only." He purred, reaching behind him to shut the door. His tone was low, gravelly even, and Lexi's eyes lowered halfway at hearing such a seductive sound. Oh, she'd been waiting awhile to hear his voice again.

The irritation from before melted away, and before she could really think about what she was doing, Lexi stepped forward to close the distance between them, grabbing onto the collar of his shirt to pull his closer, and kissed him with a quickly rising desperation to feel him against her.

The action seemed to catch Law off guard somewhat, but within moments his arms were wrapped around her waist, pulling her the last few inches closer so she was standing flush against him. The ferocity of Lexi's kiss was both startling and sexy as hell. Law wasn't complaining, but he couldn't help but find it a little amusing.

"Not even a hello?" He whispered against her lips coarsely. As retaliation for interrupting their kiss to ask a stupid question, Lexi leaned forward and bit his lower lip, tugging it through her teeth with excruciating slowness.

"Stop talking." Was her only response, coming across as a breathless demand. Law's amused chuckle was cut off by her lips seeking his again.

Lexi allowed a few quiet moans to escape her mouth as their lips moved against each other, and Law felt more than heard them. Struggling to hold back a groan of his own at how _delicious_ that sound was, the Captain tightened his fingers at her back. The brunette's hands released his collar and snuck their way around his neck, then even higher until she'd dug her fingers underneath his hat, causing it to fall to the floor, to tug at his unruly strands of hair.

Then, to his surprise, she pushed him roughly into the door, his back colliding with the wood with such a force to momentarily knock the breath out of him. They separated to breathe, but Lexi wasn't done, gripping the front of his shirt and ripping it open, a few of the buttons flying off from the force. Not a moment later, she slipped the ruined shirt off of his shoulders to the floor.

She heard him growl low in his throat, either from pleasure or a warning, she couldn't tell. Nor did she care, too lost in her own high of excitement at seeing her Captain again. She'd been feeling frustrated for quite some time, and damn her if she would wait any longer than she had to.

Her hands and tongue perused his exposed chest greedily, following the outlines of his tattoos. The feeling of her wet appendage against his skin made him exhale shakily as she travelled lower and lower. Realizing that he was losing control of the situation with a small amount of irk, Law's hands drifted below her t-shirt. Without warning, he practically ripped the material off of her, momentarily halting her progress on his chest as she was relieved of her clothing.

Deciding that he would be taking charge again, thoughts mostly driven now by the growing lust swirling in his blood, he gripped below her chin and forced her to stand straighter, guiding her lips back to his in a hungry and somewhat punishing kiss. They both groaned at the sensation of being reunited again, the time apart pushing their suppressed feelings over the past few months up to the forefront, bringing with it the desire to fuck the other senseless.

"Sex. Now." Lexi panted against his mouth, hand lowering to the hard bulge of his jeans. She couldn't think of anything more complex than that in her state of mind, and he crushed any further thoughts from her anyways by hoisting her up by her thighs, never breaking the union of their lips. This position placed her center agonizingly close to his own growing problem, and he nearly gave into the urge to fuck the brunette against the wall and surpass the bed entirely.

Lexi felt the soft bed against her back after several moments of being carried, and the desperate man above her, pressing her deeper into the covers as he ravaged her, shoving his tongue into her own mouth to taste her after such a long time. Their tongues battling for dominance, he sought out her breasts. He thanked the universe upon remembering that Lexi slept without a bra, and tonight had been no different, giving him instant access to the flesh of her chest.

He squeezed none too gently, and she couldn't hold back the gasp it caused. Lexi nipped against his lip in punishment, but it did not stop him from continuing his assault, rolling her nipples between finger and thumb to enhance the pleasure.

She twitched from the pleasurable assault on her body, all the while using her nails to scratch his shoulders and chest lightly. She was a bit more forgiving to his injured arm, tracing the bandages lightly so as not to cause pain.

One hand continuing to pleasure her breasts, the other trailed lower to tug insistently at his shorts, demanding they be taken off. They twisted and shifted, finally drawing the shorts completely down her legs, before Law threw them carelessly behind him to land somewhere on the floor.

Her legs wrapped themselves around his waist, pulling him closer to where she needed him most in that moment. His clothed member brushed against her own barely covered sex, and she couldn't hold back the shudder that wracked her body at the anticipation. Wanting him to feel good as well, she lowered one hand to slip underneath the waistband of his pants, feeling his hard, heated skin with her own fingers as she rubbed him.

He hissed in unison, hips thrusting minutely in an unconscious effort to feel more of her hand, and during his momentary lapse of coherence she used her momentum to flip them over so she was on top. Using her new position for leverage, she hastily undid the zipper of his jeans, anxious hands pulling his pants and boxers down to bare his arousal to her. He helped her discard his last remaining clothing, returning her lustful gaze with each and every one of his dark intentions for that night. She stared back, wondering how the dark gaze of this one man could do so much to her.

Her hips rocked back and forth above him, creating a torturous, hot friction that had Law groaning without care, digging his fingers into them with a bruising strength. Lexi's hands dug themselves into her own hair, needing something to hold onto and inadvertently giving Law the perfect view of her breasts and abdominal muscles at work as she moved above him. He watched in lustful fascination, eyes half-lidded at the beauty losing herself in the pleasure, mouth open at the sensation of him rubbing against her.

Unable to take anymore of this, Law exhaled harshly, twisting his hips and following after her as he flipped them around again, gaining him a more dominant position once more. The Captain was too impatient to bother taking off her panties, and so he simply shifted them to the side and brought himself to her entrance.

Lexi's hands moved to his shoulders in preparation, body throbbing, chest rising and falling rapidly, staring up into his gray eyes with all the relief and joy she felt at having him return, all the while participating in the brutal eye-fucking that was currently waging between them. But the long stare was interrupted when Law entered her in one long thrust, Lexi shutting her eyes in pleasure.

Both pirates moaned at the joined sensation. Lexi, at feeling so completely filled. Law, and finally experiencing her wet, warm sheath again. They'd both been dying to do this for months, always lingering in the back of their minds, and it was just as pleasurable as they'd imagined it would be.

Law slowly increased his pace, moving in and out inside her, knowing that she'd probably need time to adjust after so long. But the first few thrusts were all she needed, before her fingers tightened around his skin and her whimpers of pleasure began. Eyes closing to the musical tone to her gasps and moans, Law pushed into her faster, harder than before, building up both of their climaxes in one.

He was not gentle, but neither was she. Pushing her hips up to meet his thrusts each time, and harshly scraping her nails against the flesh she could reach, Lexi gave as good as she got. The force of his thrusts caused her breasts to bounce between them, and Law was mesmerized by the sight.

His show was cut off by Lexi leaning upwards to capture his lips with hers again, leading them in a much gentler kiss from before, contrasted by the brutal fucking he was giving her. Each entry had him filling her completely, almost painfully so, before drawing back and doing it all over again.

Law leaned closer to more comfortably return her liplock, pausing in his thrusts to position her legs over his shoulders while doing so. He picked up his pace again, hitting a new spot deep inside her that had her toes curling in pleasure.

"Ahh…" Lexi moaned out, unable to stop the growing coil of her approaching orgasm deep in her belly. "Law…" She gasped out, panting breathlessly with each hard thrust he gave her.

His own breath coming out in rapid pants, Law opened his eyes to see her flushed face, sweat-glistening body as she took everything he gave her, hearing the desperate plea in the undertones of his name, reveling in the sight of his woman being fucked by him. _God,_ he couldn't get enough of her. He could never get enough.

Finding a newfound desire to make her lose control, his thrusts became erratic, frantic, sharply hitting her womb deep inside each time they connected. The slaps of their skin punctuated every one of Lexi's moans, which rose higher and higher as her climax neared.

Law moaned deep in his throat as he felt that familiar tightening of her walls around him, before her whole body tensed and she whimpered in pleasure with each wave it sent spasming through her. It took several more thrusts, plus Lexi's muscles squeezing him, before Law reached his own dizzying orgasm, spilling himself into her throbbing sheath with shaking breaths and a subconscious groan of satisfaction. Intent to prolong their pleasure, he thrust lazily throughout the experience, finally slowing to a stop and collapsing on to of her.

They lay there, slightly dazed and exhausted from the round of sex, muscles quivering from overuse, panting into the comforter as they regain their breath. The temperature of the room had risen with their exertions, and sweat coated both of their bodies.

Minutes of silence and getting their heart beats back under control, Lexi turned her head to softly kiss Law's cheek, hands moving to wrap themselves around his neck. "Welcome back, Captain." She whispered, realizing she hadn't actually ever greeted him from his return. Then remembering something from earlier that day, a sly smirk overtook her face. "Or should I say...Traffy."

Law stilled at the nickname, harshly biting her breast which was closest to her face, and she gasped sharply.

"I see you've met Straw Hat-ya..." He sighed deeply, content to simply lay there for awhile. She giggled, her chest rising up and down with each laugh.

"He's quite a kid. I don't understand how you've put up with all nine of those pirates for so long." Her fingers brushed gently through his hair soothingly, almost apologizing for calling him such a ridiculous name to begin with. Almost. "They're all crazy."

"I already know that. They've been the main source of my stress for almost three months." He grumbled. She grinned.

"Well hey, I'm sure I helped to alleviate some of the stress, yeah?" His chest rumbled with his laugh, and he turned to eye her mischievously.

"If this is the sort of greeting I'll get, then perhaps I should leave with them more often."

"Don't." Lexi lightly slapped his shoulder, grinning at the smile on his face. It was really good to see him again after so long. Her gaze drifted down to his bandages arm, and she trailed a finger gently across the bandage. "What happened here, anyways?"

"Later." He explained, leaning in closer. His other hand trailed up the side of her chest teasingly. "I'm not entirely finished with you." He promised with that dark glint in his eyes, and she giggled, accepting his hungry kiss again.


	26. Lock Your Door

"Mmm…" Lexi hummed pleasurably, eyes having yet opened to wake up that morning. Something felt really nice against her chest, and by really nice she meant it was making her toes curl in excitement. "Law…" She muttered, recalling the memories of the night before, knowing that there could only be one person this sensation could be.

The man in question hummed by way of reply, continuing to lick and nip her breast even as she shook off the dreariness of sleep. She felt his hands massaging at her hips slowly, insistently, and that familiar weight of his body between her legs under the covers. Eyes opening after a particularly sharp bite on her flesh, Lexi did nothing to stop the moan of pleasure that escaped her, and her hands found the back of Law's head, fingers tangling carelessly in his messy strands of black hair.

"Were…ahh…" She tried to say, cut off by his mouth as he continued lower and lower down her body. "Were the four rounds…sh-shit…last night…not enough for you?" Lexi questioned through gritted teeth.

"Nowhere near."

She laughed at his reply, feeling his tongue swirl once around her belly button before resuming it's path south. The familiar coil of building pressure started low in her belly, but unlike the night before, it was slow and lazy, just like the carefree nature of Law's tongue as it swooped low and then down her thigh, spreading them wider so he could lavish them well.

Lexi's hands could no longer reach Law's head, and so she retracted them to lay at her sides, grasping the sheets tightly when Law teasingly brushed her bundle of nerves with his nose though avoiding it for the most part. Lexi huffed in frustration, earning her an amused laugh from the Captain.

"So impatient." He mused against the inside of her thigh, kissing it chastely and dragging his hands up to her hips to hold them down. Lexi's breath hitched in the back of her throat, feeling the heat of Law's breath at her core, before his hot tongue plunged into her. Instinctively arching her back at the intense and sudden pleasure of his mouth on her, Lexi whimpered into the empty room.

Law's appendage stroked her walls, and if it weren't for his hands pressing down her thighs, she'd have been twitching and spasming from the pleasure. Her breaths coming out in strangled and heavy pants, Lexi squeezed her eyes shut, simply enjoying the feel on him tasting her as deeply as he could.

The passage of time sped up, or slowed down, Lexi couldn't quite tell, brain only focusing on his tongue and the amazing feeling he elicited from her body. Too soon, he detached himself from her, chuckling to himself as he agonizingly kissed and licked his way back up her body, head emerging from underneath the covers to look her in the eyes for the first time that morning.

"You call _me_ impatient," Lexi started, grinning at the lust plainly visible in his eyes, "but you're the one who couldn't even wait for me to wake up properly." Her hands found the back of his neck tugging him up towards her lips, where they shared a slow kiss. The taste of herself on his tongue was arousing and intoxicating.

"Hmm." He hummed against her lips, then trailing up her jaw and to her earlobe, which he gave a sharp nip. "Fair enough." He whispered, slowly dragging her earlobe through his teeth, and she gasped right beside his own ear.

Figuring that neither of them could take too much more of the foreplay, he brought their hips closer together, rubbing his hard, exposed member against her wet entrance, teasing her with the promise of what he'd do to her, reminding her just how satisfied he could make her feel with his body alone.

It was a double-edged sword though, and Law couldn't hold back the groan at how dizzying, intoxicating, unbelievable it was to feel her wet heat against his own arousal. She sought his lips again, snaring him in a passionate kiss as he continued to rub against her entrance.

"Tra-guy!" He heard a moment before the door swung open to reveal the Straw Hat Captain striding into the room without care or thought. "Are you awake yet?"

The couple tore themselves away from each other faster than what could have been possible, eyes widening upon seeing the other Captain standing there. Lexi screamed momentarily at the unwelcome intrusion, rushing to grab the edge of the covers and cover her exposed breasts with the fabric. The Captain didn't seem to understand what exactly he'd walked in on, showing no sign of realization of what they'd been in the middle of.

"Huh?" He questioned, cocking his head to the side and eyeing the two Heart Pirates covering themselves on the bed in haste. "What's going on?"

"Straw Hat-ya…" Law growled in outrage, practically ready to run over and throttle the idiot at the throat. Thanks to the situation of his lack of clothes, that wasn't really an option though. He sat up, thankful that the comforter had been mostly draped over his back not moments before, as his erection wasn't exposed for his fellow Captain to see.

"Get out!" Lexi yelled, grabbing one of the pillows and throwing it at the clueless boy. He caught it easily, scratching at his head. "Luffy!" She tried again, face as red as a tomato at being caught in the middle of having sex with Law. This was the most embarrassing and surreal experience she'd had yet, considering the rubber dumbass wouldn't actually _leave!_

"Were you wrestling or something? What happened to your clothes? And why's your face so red? Are you sick? Should I bring Chopper?" He continued, crossing his arms and standing in the middle of the room, eyes taking in the discarded and rumpled clothing all over the floor.

"No!" She shouted, hoping he'd get the picture and leave already. She pressed the covers tightly to her chest, careful not to let something accidentally slip.

"What is it you want, Straw Hat-ya?" Law finally asked in a menacing growl, glaring at his supposed ally with pure resentment. He'd been dealing with the rubber idiot long enough to know that you couldn't push him to hurry up any faster than he chose to. It was best just to go with the conversation and hope he left of his own volition.

"Oh, yeah!" He perked up, seeming to remember his entire reason for barging in. His wide, trademark smile returned. "The minks are having a big feast before we leave to get Sanji. You were late, so I figured I'd wake you up! They've got all sorts of meat!"

"Are you fucking serious…" Lexi muttered underneath him in disbelief, and Law gave her only a moment's glance before sighing deeply, rubbing at his forehead in a futile attempt to stop the headache that was beginning to form.

"Great. Now leave." He said, hoping Luffy would get the message. He pouted, not quite accepting that answer.

"Well, aren't you coming?"

"Yes, now go!" He shouted, pointing back towards the hallway. Unfazed by the anger both Heart Pirates directed at him, he clenched his fist in excitement.

"Yosh! Meat! It'll be a great party!" He called, running back out the door and into the hallway.

"Close the door, idiot!" Lexi shouted, and before their eyes, an elongated rubber hand shot around the corner, grabbing the doorknob and slamming it shut as it retracted. The room plunged into silence again, and both Heart Pirates collapsed out of sheer relief and disbelief at what had just occurred.

"Did that really just happen?" Lexi asked uselessly, her hands covering her face in embarrassment. At least Luffy had been the _only_ witness to the barge-in. Anyone from her own crew would have made things worse, but if any of the Straw Hat members besides Luffy had been there…god, she groaned in agony, not wanting to even think about that.

Law sighed, sitting back up and resting on the heels of his feet, running his own hands along his face in exhaustion. Already, so early in the morning, he was done with the rest of the day and anything having to do with the Straw Hat idiot. "I suppose we'd best get dressed. If we wait too long, he'll be back up wondering where we are…"

"You didn't lock the door when you came in last night, did you?" Lexi guessed, rolling over and standing from the bed to retrieve her clothing. She heard him sigh behind her.

"No. I didn't expect us to have _company_." He defended in a hiss, following her lead and searching the room for wherever his garments had gone. The rest of his morning had soured instantly. She laughed a little, and he turned to regard her. She was in the process of putting on her bra and panties.

"I guess no one is safe with Luffy around."


	27. Threesomes Are Better

Maybe there was a reason the Heart Pirates didn't spend too many nights in bars, Lexi realized, barely dodging a stray glass pint that was thrown towards someone behind her. Seeing as it came from the bartender himself, angrily yelling something in a thick accent to the point the brunette couldn't even understand him, was all the more intimidating. A sidelong look to her left verified that Law was unperturbed, enjoying his alcoholic beverage and reading the day's paper without worry. Rolling her eyes, Lexi went back to her own drink, shrinking further in her seat so as to avoid any further glasses being thrown overhead.

Of course, seeing as the island they were currently landed on was more of a pirate's den than an actual island, the bars here were nothing short of chaotic shit holes where there were no rules and the no one apparently cleaning up the messes. Lexi was afraid to touch some of the surfaces, eyeing dark brown stains on the stools and table itself, which looked awfully like old blood stains. Lexi had eyed her Captain warily, wondering why he decided to partake in a night off here, of all places.

"The crew needs a night to unwind." He'd replied with a shrug, waving off her concern. The fact that he was a well-known, high-bounty Supernova apparently gave him no pause, as the both of them, plus some others from the crew, had walked into the establishment confidently, making their way to the bar despite the hungry and leering gazes of the other patrons. Lexi hadn't been so sure of this place, trying to take her seat beside the Captain as casually as she could appear.

Compared to other pubs Lexi had visited during her time with the Heart Pirates, this place was pure, unadulterated madness. Slightly off-key music was being played by couple men in the corner, jovially accepting spare beli when the patrons saw fit to tip them. The bartender was almost as angry and demanding as the customer he served, tossing glass pints to and fro when a guest got a little too handsy with the man's wife, who was openly flirting with those she was closest to.

There didn't appear to be more than three or four lights illuminating the inside of the building, casting the main bar area in a dim atmosphere. Drunks and card players, pirates, thieves, prostitutes, sailors, and merchants alike all congregated into the cramped little bar, shouting and yelling and screaming and cussing. Just as she'd imagine a place like this to be.

Some of the crew had already found themselves their night partners, and Lexi was willing to bet they wouldn't be back to the sub until morning, wearing the same clothes as that night, with a raging hangover and satisfied needs. The numbers dwindled until only Law and Lexi were left sitting at the bar, quietly enjoying their drinks as the ruckus continued around them.

Lexi was beginning to weigh the pros and cons of simply leaving Law there by himself, returning to the submarine to go to sleep, when it happened. A busty, black-haired woman sat herself in the empty seat on Law's right side, leaning suggestively over the counter towards him to flash the perfect view of her practically-uncovered cleavage.

Lexi pursed her lips silently, watching as Law gave the woman a glance, before turning to face her completely, setting down the newspaper he'd been reading up to that point. "Is there something I can help you with?" He inquired with a purr, and Lexi resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

The prostitute giggled, trailing one finger down the tattoos inked on his exposed forearms. Lexi cursed the fact that Law had decided to wear one of his more revealing shirts, only an hour before glad he'd put it on so she could marvel at the tattoos herself. Now that it was being abused by this… _woman,_ she wasn't too sure she enjoyed the thoughts.

"Well…maybe so." The woman continued, batting her lashes in what was supposed to be a seductive way. "And maybe there's something I could do for you?"

"Oh? And what would that be?" Law played along, grinning that infernal smirk. Lexi had never hated such a sight so much before.

"You look stressed out…I could relieve some of that tension for you." She offered. Lexi was internally seething, though on the outside, her neutral demeanor had never wavered. Honestly, she knew what was going to happen, but she'd accepted a long time ago that Law would do this sometimes. It had taken a long time, and a lot of doubting her decision to come to his world in the first place, but it was a part of who he was. She couldn't fault him for that.

Telling herself this wasn't the first time such an occurrence had happened, and it definitely wouldn't be the last, Lexi calmed her own jealousy and rage enough to sip calmly at her drink. She'd been so focused on her own thoughts, the brunette had spaced out during the next part of their conversation.

"I'll freshen up in the washroom, but don't go anywhere." The black-haired woman winked, squeezing Law's arm affectionately before heading away from the two pirates. With a chuckle, Law turned an amused eye on the brunette.

"Jealous?"

"Not in the slightest." Lexi denied, somehow believing it herself. She downed the rest of her alcohol and placed the glass on the counter in front of her. "I'll be heading back to the sub now."

"Hmm, if you really didn't want me to do this, you could just say so." Law spoke lowly, reaching forward to hold her chin between two fingers. The Captain leaned in close, just an inch or so away from being able to kiss her. "It's not like I wouldn't at least _think_ of reconsidering."

Lexi switched her gaze back and further between his gray eyes, finally shaking her head and chuckling under her breath. "I can't control what you do, and I won't stop you. I've come to terms with it myself, so it doesn't matter." She said, hopping off of the stool and sending him one last glance. "I'll see you later."

* * *

 

Law watched her go in amusement, both surprised and relieved that Lexi felt that way. He had expected his actions to repel her, disgust her, or ultimately lead her to regretting her decision to follow him, but was pleasantly surprised to see she had yet to resent him for this facet of his personality. It made him respect her all the more.

The busty beauty from before returned, this time with a fresh coat of makeup, which he found rather distracting and unsightly, but he did not let this show on his face. Instead, he grinned and offered her the seat beside him formally. "You came back." He said, falling back onto his charming ways to continue the conversation.

She giggled again and took the offered seat, leaning one elbow on the table to look at him more clearly. "Of course I did! It's not often I find a man as charming and handsome as you around."

Law laughed good-naturedly, accepting the compliment in stride, turning to face her more directly. They continued the conversation, Law playing the part of the interested suitor for the night. Even after so long since the last time he'd done this, it was easy to fall right back into the swing of things.

* * *

 

Lexi was propped up in Law's bed, reading a book she'd gotten at the last island which she never found the time to actually try. It wasn't as interesting as she'd hoped when she'd first bought it, but it passed the time, which was all Lexi was really trying to do at this point. Without meaning to, her eyes kept drifting to the clock, unconsciously ticking the minutes by since she'd left Law at the bar.

With a sigh, she shook her head. It didn't matter. Lexi had accepted this part of Law when she agreed to follow under his flag. At first, it had repulsed her, and the doubt had settled in for quite awhile, but eventually, after talking to him directly and realizing there was a reasoning and—dare she used the word— _moral code_ to all of it, she'd began to start seeing that this was just a part of what Law did. It was a rare occurrence, not a regular thing, but it still happened all the same. While she may question his decision, a part of her wondered if he were actually doing a bad thing after all, or if she was seeing the whole situation in black and white, when it should be gray.

Approaching footsteps in the hall outside, followed by Law's and that woman's laughter, made Lexi throw herself further into the story of her book, until the sound of their steps passed and stopped in front of what Lexi knew to be the infirmary. Her thoughts were distracted, hearing the door open then close, and the woman's giggling commenced again. It was teeth-grindingly annoying to hear.

Then, predictably, she heard the sound of a scuffle, and the muffled whimpers of the woman a moment later, before the panic began to set in and finally Law chuckled darkly. The woman's whimpered turned into full on muffled screams of terror. Lexi shifted in the bed, wishing Law would think to soundproof the infirmary one of these days so she wouldn't have to listen to his little experiments.

The screaming went on for some time, with intervals of silence and Law audibly enjoying himself in there, as well as squelches and clinks of metal against metal. At some point during the ordeal, Lexi had remembered that she'd stashed a bag of ear plugs in her side table, and retrieved them to stop the sound of the woman's fear. It worked to some degree, but it couldn't eliminate it entirely.

Then, over an hour after it began, the sounds stopped entirely, followed by a loud thump against the floor. Lexi looked to the wall as she listened, knowing Law was probably cleaning up the mess he'd created in there. At least she wouldn't have to do it the next morning. Law was always courteous about that.

Lexi had made it through about a third of the book before Law walked into their bedroom, splattered haphazardly with blood. Regarding her with a smirk, he approached and leaned down close, their faces inches apart.

"A shame you couldn't join us. Threesomes are always more fun." He chuckled, and Lexi pushed him away from her face with a scowl.

"Eww, gross. I don't want to know how a threesome would work in a torture situation." She grimaced, getting a whiff of the stench of the woman's blood for the first time.

"I could make it work." Law promised darkly.

Ignoring that last comment, she returned her gaze to her book. "Go take a shower, you look awful."

Unfazed by her insults, Law stood again and rid himself of his ruined shirt, walking into the adjoining bathroom to do as she'd told. Lexi discreetly watched after him, debating whether she could still join him in the shower and not come off as too eager. She really had been jealous when that woman had been all over him, despite knowing he'd never actually have _sex_ with the prostitutes he brought back. The thought of her touching what was so obviously Lexi's made her blood boil, and the urge to claim him as her own again all the more stronger. Lexi didn't like to share, and Law was no exception.

Sighing and tossing the book on the bed beside her, she scurried after the Captain, hearing the sound of the shower turning on. A long round of angry sex would make her feel better.


	28. Look, Listen, Learn

"Geez, it's been years since I've really gone through this stuff." Lexi said in a sigh, blowing at the dust that covered the old newspapers and trunks sitting in their basement. The cloud of dust scattered in the air, and the brunette coughed to get rid of the contaminants in her windpipe. "Needs a good cleaning too."

"What is all this stuff, Lexi-chan?" Shachi asked as he stepped past her to head further into the archive of boxes and random piles of stuff that surrounded them. Only a few lightbulbs with strings dangling from them illuminated the large, unfinished space. As Lexi had explained, the basement had no walls, simply the bare-bones wooden structure of them, and a concrete floor.

With spring right around the corner, plus a few days vacation from university had Lexi encouraged to do a bit of housecleaning. Nana, in a moment of clarity, recalled that they never had touched her husband's treasures from downstairs in over a dozen years, practically laying untouched since his death years before. The boys were just as curious to see a little bit of the history of this world, and had followed her down. Nana stayed upstairs, her back not what it used to be.

In response to Shachi's question, Lexi took the first newspaper from the pile and shook off the rest of the dust, unfolding it to look at the first page. "These are all the things my grandpa collected over the years. Most of them are from World War II, but there is some from afterwards too. From what I've heard, he liked to hold on to pretty much anything he ever received."

The sheer size of the horde of items was also a testament to that claim. The Roe family was known for being sentimental, and perhaps Lexi had found the origin.

"Wow, look at these." Penguin pointed to a gun case, displaying four rifles inside. They looked a little worn, but otherwise in good condition. "How old are they?"

"Hmm…" Wandering over, Lexi looked at the weapons more closely. "Well, I'm pretty sure that one," she pointed to the right-most rifle, "is one of the standard issue rifles from the army during the war. Don't really know how he managed that, though. Nana likes to say that he stuffed it straight down the back of his pants and somehow made it home that way, heh. If the rest are the same age, they're over 50 years old." She chuckled at the memory, only imagining the grandpa she'd never met doing ridiculous things to sneak the military-issue rifle back home with him.

"Quite a collection he has." Law commented, opening a dust-covered trunk that sat on the floor in front of a stack of magazines that were not suitable for children. Lexi sighed, hoping that the two engineers perusing the opposite end of the old junk wouldn't notice them. Who knew what could happen.

"When I was little I sort of got to look down here sometimes, but I've never really thought about most of it until now. Wonder what sorts of things grandpa's got laying around here…" She drifted off, spotting a pole leaning against the wall, and walked towards what she assumed was a flag of some sort.

The others continued searching the other items at their leisure, and Lexi lifted the corner of the flag to inspect it's design. Her eyebrows shot up upon seeing the famous red, white, and black Nazi insignia. The colors had faded with time, and other than a few frayed edges of the fabric and a few holes that looked suspiciously like they'd been made by bullets, it looked to be in fairly decent condition.

"Wow…" She muttered, fascinated by the history she had in her hands. How crazy it was to think that this could have been stationed at a major Nazi outpost or building, right in the middle of the action, the violence, and the bloodshed that had occurred over 50 years ago. Gently feeling the fabric, she couldn't help but wonder at the hands of the men who had held the flag.

The sound of paper knocking over brought her attention back to reality, and she turned to see what had been a pile of neatly-stacked newspapers now scattered about the floor. Penguin looked on sheepishly, unable to hide what he'd done, and Lexi just sighed.

"Sorry."

She waved the apology away, not too upset. "It's alright. At least they aren't completely out of order or ruined. We can put them back where they belong."

She helped the two of them reorganize the papers, and Lexi looked back over at Law, who was still kneeling in front of the trunk he'd opened. What looked to be picture frames were in his hands. "Whatcha got there?" She questioned, and he sent her a quick glance.

"I'm assuming this is your grandfather." Law said, and the brunette rose to see what he was referring to.

He showed her the front of the photos he was inspecting, and Lexi saw the old, military photo from back in the day. It showed a standard line-up of uniformed men, looking as though they were passing the time in some camp. The man standing second from the left looked quite jovial, holding a cigarette to his lips and giving a crinkle-eyed smile to whoever was behind the camera.

The second photo was of that same man, posed formally in his uniform with his medals attached to his chest. There were several that Lexi couldn't quite identify, but the bronze star medal stood out against some of the others, which she knew to be symbolic of his acts of heroism during combat.

Even this standard photo, where most military men appeared stern and stoic, this man seemed unable to help the slightly mischievous expression in his eyes, somehow always exuding the humorous appearance despite looking stern. She wondered how he would have been if he'd still been alive.

"He seems to be the main focus of most of these pictures, so I assume he's your relative." Law continued, shrugging as he reached in the trunk for another photo. Lexi nodded slowly, taking her time to inspect the pictures.

"Yep, that's him. His name badge says Roe." She pointed to the picture, indicating his nameplate. It was difficult to make out, but it indeed sported Lexi's last name. "Besides that, though, there'd be no way I could really tell if he was my family."

Law paused, giving her a confused look. "You've never met him?"

"No, he died several years before I was born."

"I see."

With that, Law returned to the trunk, and Lexi gently set the photos down beside him, standing to look through the rest of his things from years ago. Leaning against the wall was a black case, shaped obviously as a guitar, and she stepped carefully around the other boxes to get to it.

She picked it up, feeling the hefty weight that confirmed there was still an instrument on the inside, and brought it to a clearer past of the basement. Opening the lid revealed an old, faded, and probably extremely out-of-tune guitar on the inside. It was black-trimmed, gradually becoming lighter in color the closer to the middle it got. There were scuff marks on the edges, a testament to it's age and it's previous use.

Despite not knowing how to play the guitar at all, Lexi picked it up and sat cross-legged on the floor, positioning it in her lap comfortably. She strummed against the strings, catching everyone else's attention.

"Do you know how to play, Lexi-chan?" Shachi asked, perking up at seeing the instrument. With a chuckle, punctuated with a few more strums, Lexi shook her head.

"Nope, I don't know how to play any instruments. But it just looks too cool not to try." She admitted with a shrug, slowly testing each string to hear how it sounded. Luckily, the sound was still rather strong, though horribly off-key even to Lexi's ears, which knew nothing about music in the least.

"Maybe I can get this restored or something. Or maybe I'll learn how to play." She mused aloud, finally putting the guitar back in the case to bring upstairs later. There was so much more to look through, it would probably be awhile before they finished down here.

"Alright, enough of the looking, let's get to cleaning some of it and organizing what needs to be organized." She clapped her hands and rubbed them together in preparation, grabbing the nearest stack of magazines and depositing them in a designated spot.

It would be a long day for sure.

* * *

 

They took a break for lunch, but for the most part all four of them cleaned and organized nonstop in the basement. A majority of the collection were magazines and newspapers, and so Lexi had them sectioned off separate from the rest of the items so they could more easily categorize them.

The gun safe was left where it stood, too heavy to move without fear of breaking something. Boxes and trunks of miscellaneous items were searched, sorted, and cleaned. Lexi was covered in dust by the time lunch rolled around. Nana kindly yelled down from upstairs that she'd made them sandwiches. Law didn't look quite as excited at the prospect of bread as everyone else, and he even attempted to offer to keep sorting while they ate.

"Nah ah, you're coming upstairs. Nobody refuses Nana's sandwiches." Lexi grinned, dragging him by the crook of his arm towards the door. He grumbled the whole way, but reluctantly went up with them to eat. Thankfully, Nana must have remembered that Law did not appreciate bread as much as the rest of them, and had made him a bowl of soup instead.

They went back to cleaning soon after. Their efforts were beginning to pay off, and instead of the random piled mess of the varied assortment of items, Lexi and the others had gotten it into a semblance of order. The boxes were stacked and labeled in Law's neat scrawl. Newspapers were folded neatly by Shachi and Penguin, and piled by date if at all possible. Some were too worn to read.

Lexi gathered up all the war memorabilia and dedicated an entire corner of the room to it. There was much more than she expected, having found ammo boxes and a stray helmet or two hidden within the mess. Her grandpa had collected quite a pile of museum-worthy items. Though she never would think of selling anything down here, she wondered just how much all of these things could fetch in an auction.

There was a few things that had interested Lexi enough to bring back upstairs, as well as a few photos she thought Nana would appreciate. Like her wedding photo, found at the bottom of one of the trunks of stuff. Thankfully it hadn't been damaged by all of the other frames and items on top of it.

Lexi put down the last box, releasing a breath of relief that the job was done. "Whew…I'd say that's good enough. It looks a lot better down here now."

She surveyed the space, proud to see that there was a walkable path where all of the stuff had originally been sitting. The clutter was nowhere near the amount it had been. The boys seemed satisfied that they'd be finished, and with a few appreciative nods, she led them upstairs.

* * *

 

The first thing Lexi did was take a shower, feeling a little sweaty from all the cleaning and pushing and lifting and moving they'd been doing for a few hours. The water felt great, and immediately afterward, the lull of a nap began to play at her eyelids. It was about 3 in the afternoon at that point, the midday lull, and the warmth of the water plus the comfiness of her pajamas was too much for Lexi to resist against. She stepped out of the bathroom, hair still slightly damp but brushes, with a yawn.

"I'm heading to bed, so you guys find something to do in the meantime. Wake me up before about 5 though so I can start dinner." And with that, she shut her bedroom door and lay down for a nap.

* * *

 

It was about an hour later that Lexi woke up again, feeling the need to pee. She probably should have gone while she had used the bathroom not too long ago, but she hadn't needed to go then. Groaning because the effort of getting out of bed was almost too much, she rolled herself off the side gently and down to the floor. She knelt there, eyes closed with her head rested against the side, pondering if she really needed to go that badly or not.

A sharp feeling of urgency in her bladder told her that yes, she indeed needed to go that badly, and she crawled her way reluctantly over to the door, not caring that it was childlike in every way to be doing so.

The sound of a guitar stopped her, and she paused to listen more closely to the instrument being played. There were a few experimental string twangs, the pitch of each growing more in tune each time it played. She wondered who of the household was using her grandpa's old guitar.

Reaching the door of her room, she reached up and twisted the handle as slowly and silently as she could, hoping not to attract the attention of whoever was playing. It sounded close by, most likely from the Pirates' room. She managed to hold the knob all the way open, and cracked the door just a tiny bit so she could see out.

At first, she couldn't see anything, but she was able to hear the guitar better this way. Lexi heard a few chords being played softly, almost hesitantly, and the brunette tried cracking the door open further.

After about an inch or two, she saw Law in the other room, sitting on the bed with the guitar in his lap. Her eyes widened, watching as he tuned a few more of the strings, before staring off in concentration, eyes narrowed absently while he strummed the guitar. It sounded as if he were trying to remember something, as he kept playing the same chords over and over, slight variations to the endings each time.

His unseen audience leaned just inside of her doorway, still in need of using the bathroom, but her fascination with Law's playing kept it at bay for the time being. She smiled, watching him at his most unguarded and vulnerable. She wondered what he was like when she wasn't around.

She didn't see Shachi, Penguin, or Bepo around, so they must be either downstairs or outside, giving her an opportunity to view him without distraction.

Seeming to find the right chord and notes he was looking for, Law played the notes more confidently. Lexi, ever the hopeful person, was just waiting for him to sing whatever lyrics there were to the song, but he never did, content with simply listening to the melody.

The song was soft, almost woeful, but carried with it a lighter, hopeful sound right underneath it. It was unfamiliar to her, but perhaps it held some meaning to him. Maybe some tune from his childhood.

For several minutes, Lexi sat there, enjoying the soft music, until she fell asleep against the wall again, forgetting her need to pee entirely and snoozing silently against the wall of her bedroom, the door cracked just an inch or two to listen to the music.


	29. I Will Turn This Car Around! (Pt. 1)

"Ok, I should have everything we need." Lexi did a checklist on her fingers, just so she could be sure. "Bags packed. Truck filled with gas. Hotel reservations. Maps. Phone." She patted her jeans pocket. "Keys." Again, patting her front pocket.

"Anything else?" Shachi asked, holding a suitcase of clothing for him and Penguin.

Lexi stood there, racking her brain, but nothing else came to mind.

"Arrangements for Nana!" Brittany called from the kitchen, before appearing around the corner, the elderly woman trailing just behind. "All taken care of."

Lexi nodded. "Don't forget to give her the medication every night and morning, and she doesn't eat big meals during the day, but make sure she still eats. Sometimes she forgets. Oh, and you got the therapist's phone number that I gave you yesterday, right? But if anything happens, you can call-"

"Alright, alright! Calm down, everything will be fine." The black-haired woman teased, poking her friend in the head with one finger. "And don't worry about Bepo either. I'll come over several times a day to make sure he's got enough food and stuff to do."

"Thanks." Lexi sighed with relief, nodding in appreciation. There was so much to plan and so much to think about when going on road trips, but road trips with pirates from another dimension, plus a delusional grandmother added into the mix, it tended to complicate things.

"Take a breath. You haven't even left the house yet." Brittany laughed, waving Nana to follow her. "Come on, let's get all your stuff in my car."

"Oh, Lexi. I hope you have fun on your trip. Send a postcard, but write in code! You never know when our communications will be tapped by those commies." The elderly woman warned, wagging a finger in her all-knowing way. Brittany lead them both out the door, leaving Lexi with Shachi.

"Oh man…I just hope I haven't forgotten anything." She stressed, running her hands through her hair. "And that I'm not making a huge mistake by doing this."

"I'm sure everything will be just fine!" Shachi encouraged, giving her a thumbs up. Lexi had her doubts, but was unable to voice them as Penguin and Law descended the stairs into the foyer.

"Everything is packed." Law confirmed, followed by a nod from Penguin.

"Great, let's get it all in the truck." She instructed, doing a double check of the kitchen one more time before heading out the front door.

After everything was stuffed into the back of her truck, then covered with a canvas tarp in case of rain, Lexi gave Nana and Brittany a hug, before sending them off with a wave. Despite knowing that her grandmother was in good hands by staying with Brittany, Lexi couldn't help the anxiety that rose from not having her in her sights.

"Alright, everybody in!" Lexi finally called, gathering the others into the truck, before turning on the ignition and clicking her seat belt.

"How long is it gonna be before we get there?" Penguin asked, leaning forwards from the backseat to watch as they reversed out of the driveway.

Shifting gears and turning the wheel, Lexi relaxed in her seat. "About 10 hours driving, but it'll be longer since we'll stop for lunch and dinner."

"Jeez, that long?" Shachi seemed a bit disappointed, as if he'd expected to be there in a half-hour.

"Yup. You'll just have to find something to entertain yourselves with until we get there."

* * *

 

"I spy…something green."

"Grass."

"Dammit."

A long pause persisted in the cabin.

"I spy…something blue."

"The sky."

"Aww, come on!"

Another long pause came to be, interrupted only by the car cruising down the highway evenly.

"I spy something…uh…brown."

"Lexi-chan's hair."

"Shit."

In the front seat, Lexi suppressed the urge to sigh deeply.

"Ok, how about this. I spy something yellow."

"…Captain's shirt."

"…"

"I'm right, aren't I?

"Yeah…"

"Too easy, but you'll never guess this one. I spy something white."

"…The only cloud in the sky right now."

"Ok, maybe you _could_ guess it…"

Lexi rolled her eyes. If this was how the entire trip was going to be, then she didn't know if she could take another 9 hours and 15 minutes of it. Leaning on her arm and driving with one arm steadying the wheel, she glanced over to Law, who was in a similar state of both boredom and irritation.

They exchanged a glance, sharing their common feeling of resignation that this was going to be a _very long_ trip on the road.

* * *

 

The cabin had gone quiet for almost an entire half hour, maybe bordering on 45 minutes even, before Lexi heard the faint, "Are we there yet?"

"No."

* * *

 

After awhile, with the sun beating down on the vehicle as they drove, the temperature began to rise in the small cabin. Shifting around uncomfortably, Lexi hit the switch to lower the windows. "It's getting a little hot, so I'll give you guys control of the windows. Just hit the button on the door there to raise or lower them." She instructed, pointing vaguely behind her to show them where it was.

The sound of the window rolling down commenced behind her, along with the sound of rushing wind. Law did so only a small amount, just enough to give him air, but not enough to flood the cabin with rushing air.

Penguin and Shachi had no such qualms, and lowered them all the way down, as Lexi expected them to. Then raised them again.

Then lowered them.

Then raised them partway before lowering them again.

The constant noise of the windows going up and down began to set her teeth on edge. "Make a decision!" She scolded, narrowing her eyes at them in the rearview mirror.

Startled into obedience, they lifted the window just a smidge more before taking their hands off the buttons, sitting neatly in the back seats like good children. Nodding to herself, Lexi turned her attention back to the road. Only 8 more hours to go…

* * *

 

"Alright, if you have to pee, do it now." Lexi warned, parking just in front of the gas station pump. "I'm not making any extra stops along the way."

"Where is it?" Shachi asked, opening the truck door so him and Penguin could step out. The occupants of the vehicle all stepped out into the heat, which had risen a remarkable degree since leaving that morning.

The brunette pointed to a small building attached to the station. "In there. They should have signs telling you where to go."

The two engineers both wandered off to find the bathrooms, while Law leaned against the side of the truck, watching with interest as Lexi opened the gas tank cover.

"What exactly is this?" He asked with interest. She shrugged, giving him a grin.

"A gas station. The cars run on gasoline, and we just happen to be running low. The truck's tank isn't that big, to be honest."

Law nodded, looking around at the streets around the station itself, eyeing the rural town they'd stopped in. Being a small town, the station wasn't that busy, thankfully, but there were still other vehicles that pulled up as Lexi was filling it up.

It took only a few minutes, filled with a companionable silence, before the pump stopped, indicating it had been capped. Lexi took out the hose and placed it where it belonged, screwing the lid back onto the tank. Giving a sigh, she walked back around to the driver's side and got in. Law returned to his passenger side seat. She turned on the truck and drove into a spot right in front of the convenient store, so Penguin and Shachi didn't have to walk as far to return.

A few moments later and the two pushed through the front door, looking around for them. Lexi waved them down and they climbed into the back seat.

"Ready?" She asked, making sure they had put on their seatbelt before backing out of the space and heading off down the road again.

It took all of three minutes before suddenly the two pirates in back pulled out a bunch of packets of wrapped food. "Is anyone hungry?" They asked, showing off the snacks. Lexi frowned heavily, eyeing what they were referring to in the rearview mirror.

"W-where in the hell did those come from?"

"The store."

"…you stole them…"

"Yup."

"Jesus Christ, can't you keep your hands to yourself for five goddamn minutes? We could be pulled over and sent to jail for theft!"

Both engineers looked rather offended. "Nobody saw us." Shachi retorted, but Lexi shook her head angrily. Beside her, Law seemed to be hiding a grin, turning away suspiciously and staring out the window. This didn't help her mood at all.

"That's not the point! There's cameras in stores like that! This could still come back and bite me in the ass!" She lectured, watching with satisfaction as they looked effectively ashamed.

"Sorry, Lexi-chan. We won't do it again."

"You better not. Now hand me one of those." She reached behind her blindly and waited for one of the snack packages.

"B-but…I thought you said-"

"We can't go back now, since I'm already on the interstate. Plus, I'm hungry. Now hand one over before I decide to go back and turn you guys in."

* * *

 

"Come on…learn to drive, jackass."

Tapping her fingers impatiently against the steering wheel, she waited while the car in front of her passed a semi-truck in the right lane, but continued riding the left lane despite there being no other cars to pass. She rolled her eyes, wondering if it had been 15 or 20 miles now that this had been going on.

"Oh my god, move over!" She muttered to herself, speeding up to pass by the trucker so she could get in the right lane. Once a safe distance behind her, she merged right, and sped up to get past the dumbass who couldn't figure out how to drive. Not noticing the amused grin from the pirate sitting next to her, she glared at the offending driver now behind her.

* * *

 

Through a mouthful of one of the last snack packages they had left, Shachi leaned forward in the seat. "Are we there yet?"

"No!"

* * *

 

About four hours into the drive, Lexi pulled into the little sandwich shop, parking with a gear shift and taking out the keys. "If I see either of you take anything…" The brunette warned with a pointed finger at the two backseat passengers, narrowing her eyes. They both held up their hands innocently.

"We won't!"

"Promise!"

Still looking suspiciously, she nodded, then climbed out of the truck with the three pirates, going inside to have lunch.

About an hour later, they stumbled out the front door, feeling much fuller than before.

"That was pretty good!" Penguin complimented, patting his belly with satisfaction. "Their fries were delicious."

"The milkshakes were better though." His hatted friend supplied, clambering into the back seat with him.

Lexi and Law sat in their normal seats, clicking their seat belts into place again. She turned to them and smiled. "Glad you liked it, but we don't have a whole lot to spend on food. We do still have a budget with this trip, you know."

The two engineers seemed to deflate at the thought that this would be the last food stop of the day, but there wasn't much she could tell them. Engaging the engine, Lexi pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the on ramp for the interstate again.

"I don't really think you'll have to worry too much about that." Law commented a few moments later, reaching into his pocket for something. Paying him a single glance, still occupied with safely speeding up to merge with the interstate road, Lexi cocked a brow.

Law pulled out a wad of cash. Eyes widening, Lexi almost hit the railing from shock, pulling the truck away in time to avoid the collision.

"What did you do!?" She shouted, staring at the money with a sinking feeling in her gut.

 _This was a terrible idea,_ she decided at that moment. Never. She never should have listened to Brittany when she said a road trip with these three would be a good thing.

"Well, the gentleman who's wallet it came from never noticed, so I think it's safe to say we won't be hunted down for stealing it." Law replied with a knowing smirk.

"Law! Oh my god!" She cried in exasperation, nearly planting her forehead into the steering wheel with frustration and bewilderment. The headache that had been building since the boys stole the food came back once again in full force. "We can't keep doing this!"

"As much as I disagree, for your sake, we'll tone it down."

"How did you even…" She muttered, forcefully keeping her eyes on the road lest she feel the urge to punch him. "When did you…you know what? I don't want to know." She concluded, resting her head in one hand, and went back to driving in silence.

Law, on the other hand, stuffed the cash into her purse.

* * *

 

"Are we there-"

"NO!"

* * *

 

Thankfully, for most of the drive after the fiasco of theft Lexi had to deal with before, the pirates had otherwise calmed down. The two in the back even fell asleep after awhile, leaning their heads on the windows beside them. Lexi glanced in her mirror and saw them sleeping peacefully. She smiled, thinking they were kind of cute when they weren't being giant pains in her ass.

Even Law, who had done a valiant job of staying awake for most of the trip, had one elbow propped up against the side of the car door, and was leaning his head against his hand. She couldn't quite tell with the hat edging just over his eyes, but she could have sworn he was asleep too. When the road was clear enough to do so without fear of hitting another car, Lexi snuck glances over at the sleeping captain, thinking that he was pretty cute too.

It was dark. The hours and hours of driving was beginning to take it's toll against Lexi, who had to rub her eyes every once in awhile just to stay awake. They'd stopped for dinner a few hours earlier, and it had taken longer than she'd anticipated to return to the road. Thanks to a long wait, and one of their meals being sent to them incorrectly, it had added more time to the wait to eat.

Now it was almost 9 at night, which wasn't all that late but the hours of nothing but driving were taxing. Her eyelids were heavy, desperate for a break. The two engineers were still sleeping in the back, feeling the drowsiness after a large meal and being on the road for so long as well. Law was somewhat awake, watching the road out of pure boredom.

Lexi sighed, rubbing at her left eye again. Why was she this tired? Maybe the stress from having three pirates with her on this trip had taken it's toll. Of course, 10 hours was quite a long drive even for experienced drivers like herself. Without meaning to, she closer her eyes, intent on squeezing them shut for only a moment, but it was so much easier just to keep them closed…

The loud vibrations and sounds of the truck tires driving over the rumble strips on the side of the road startled her out of her funk. Eyes flying open with a reflexive gasp, she braced her hands against the wheel a little tighter and jerked back into the lane. The evasive maneuver woke the two in the back from their sleep as they were thrown harshly into the door.

"Woah…what happened?" Penguin asked sleepily, adjusting his hat as he rose from being slouched over on the side.

"Nothing…just drifted out of the lane for a second there…" Lexi said, glad that they quickly shifted in place and went to rest again. The adrenaline from her previous panic now rushing through her veins, some of her exhaustion from before had gone. Enough so that she didn't feel it would happen again.

"Should we stop and rest?" Law asked quietly, and she glanced to regard him.

"No, we've only got another half hour or so to go. I'll be fine." He seemed satisfied with her reassurances, and didn't ask again, but seemed to watch the road a little more intently than before.

* * *

 

"Finally…" Lexi muttered, stepping out of the truck once they'd parked in the hotel parking lot. Because she didn't even want to try getting a hotel arrangement in New York City itself, she'd made a reservation in a city in New Jersey about half an hour out of the Big Apple. That way, the cost would be a bit cheaper, but they were still close enough to get to their destination without too much trouble.

Lexi instructed them to stay in the car while she went to check in, and she pushed through the lobby door with a yawn. The woman manning the desk looked up from a paper she was writing on.

"Hi, what's the last name?"

"Roe. Alexis Roe." The brunette replied, leaning on the counter with relief. She could almost feel the bed calling her. Then, she remembered what sort of arrangements they'd had to make. Damn budget and all.

"Alright, I have a single room, two queen beds?" The woman confirmed, and Lexi reluctantly agreed. As much as she would have liked to get two rooms, the low budget just didn't have the room for it. The receptionist did some typing on her computer before printing out a receipt, handing it to Lexi to sign.

Once done, the receptionist produced a small paper holder with two white keycards. "Here you go. Your room is 2108, on the second floor, east side of the building."

"Thank you." Lexi replied, heading back out the door to the truck.

"It should be…uh…this one. 2108, here it is." The door to their room was one of the last in the hall. "Hold this for me."

Lexi handed Penguin her suitcase so she could swipe the card. The lock beeped, a green light appearing at the top, and the brunette swung the door open to the dark room. They stepped inside, flipping the light switch on as they went.

It was nothing special, just two beds, bedside tables, and a tv facing them. There was a small bathroom and a sink. But it was enough for her. She put her purse and a few items on the table the tv was on, kicked off her shoes, and flopped onto one of the beds.

"Ahh…" She sighed, stretching out on the comforter to pop her back. The boys slowly entered the room, putting suitcases and other items aside. They inspected the interior critically, but Law found it to be very similar to rooms at the taverns and inns they would frequent when docked at islands, minus most of the technology of course.

The two engineers went to the window to look out over the city, while Law sat beside her on the bed. Lexi barely registered his presence.

"So tired…" She mumbled, crawling up towards the pillow to lay her head down. Law watched her passively, displaying his amusement with a grin. In a matter of minutes she appeared to be completely asleep, so exhausted from the day's drive that nothing seemed able to wake her now. She hadn't even taken the time to change into pajamas.

The others were tired as well, and without doing much else besides relieve themselves and change into something more comfortable, they also went to seep. Shachi and Penguin took the other bed, leaving Law to sleep beside Lexi.

Taking off his shirt and shoes, he lay in the space next to her. It wasn't long afterwards that he, too, fell asleep.


	30. Day In The Big Apple (Pt. 2)

Lexi awoke beside the Heart Pirate Captain groggily, but also in a good mood, remembering why they were in a cheap hotel and not back home in West Virginia. She smiled, curling up closer to the unruly-haired man sleeping beside her. It wasn't often she got to see him look so serene and relaxed, and she savored the moment while she could, finally placing a quick kiss against his cheek before scooting to the side of the bed to stand up.

In the second double bed beside hers and Law's, Penguin and Shachi were still sleeping, arms and legs sticking out at odd angles as they snored, mouths wide open, softly. She suppressed the urge to laugh.

The room was still dark, but that was only because of the curtains blocking any light from escaping through the window. Weighing the pros and cons of abruptly waking them up by throwing open the curtains, blinding them annoyingly, Lexi shrugged and grabbed her change of clothes from her suitcase, heading silently to the bathroom to shower for the day.

Making extra sure to lock the door, and then wrapping the cord to the hairdryer bolted into the wall around the knob since she couldn't trust those two mechanic idiots, Lexi quickly took her shower, trying not to use too much of the shampoo and conditioner so the others had something to wash with. A few minutes into washing, she heard voices in the room outside, figuring the sound of the water running had woken her friends up. She smiled, getting through the rest of her wash in a hurry.

After drying off she combed through her wet hair. The ends were beginning to split, and she idly realized a hair cut was needed very soon. Shrugging and going through the rest of her routine, Lexi dressed and opened the bathroom door, walking out into the bedroom with a stretch. Law had just finished tugging his clean shirt over his chest when she appeared. The internally pout at not being able to see his tattoos fully was stronger than she thought.

"The bathroom's free, if anyone wants to use it." The brunette stuck her thumb behind her, and Penguin got up first to claim it.

"Don't take too long, baka!" Shachi cried, having been a second too late in stealing the room first.

"Don't rush me!" His friend replied, the door muffling the sound.

Lexi grinned and shook her head, sitting on the edge of the bed and clicking the on button for the tv. It would take them an hour or so to get ready for the day, and she was in no rush to get started on their vacation, so relaxing while the others prepped for the day was just fine with her. Their travels would be wrought with standing around, wedging their way through crowds, and walking place to place anyways. They had plenty of time to explore.

Law joined her on the bed, stretching out in content. After being cramped in the car all day, it felt nice to just lay down for awhile. "What's the plan for today?" He questioned after some time, looking towards his female companion, and Lexi shrugged.

"I really don't know. Thought I'd let you guys decide."

"Considering we have no knowledge of this place at all, I suggest you make the decisions." Law retorted evenly, knowing that if it were up to Shachi and Penguin for the daily schedule, they'd be visiting every single food and entertainment establishment in the district. And he had a fairly reasonable idea that Lexi wouldn't appreciate their definition of 'entertainment.'

Lexi seemed to think a moment, deadpanning at the realization of what he'd implied. "Yeah, ok. You're right. I'll have to think about what to do first though. There are so many things to do here."

Satisfied, Law nodded and directed his attention back to the tv, waiting for his engineers to finish up.

* * *

For perhaps the eleven billionth time that morning, Lexi sighed, gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter with each honk that sounded around her. The traffic was nothing short of awful, even this far out of the main city itself. Beside and behind her, the pirates looked in in fascination at the sheer number of people and vehicles in the city.

"Is this normal?" Penguin questioned, raising a brow as a guy riding a bike flipped off basically all the cars he rode along, grinning stupidly.

"Yup." She answered, leaning more heavily into the hand that was propped against the door. God, this was taking forever. The stop-and-go traffic was something she'd expected of New York City, but not to this degree. They'd moved 100 feet in like 10 minutes.

"Wouldn't it be more productive to just walk?" Law inquired, glancing at her annoyed face.

"Yup."

The pirates were silent a moment, before Shachi cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, are we going to find a place to get out?"

"Eventually."

* * *

"Finally…I thought we'd never get out of this damn truck." Lexi closed the door to the vehicle a little harder than she intended, the sound echoing in the parking garage they'd found an empty spot in. The sea of cars was dizzying, and Lexi almost worried about not remembering where she'd parked, but after snapping a quick picture of the marked concrete pillar right next to the truck, she felt satisfied she'd be able to find it again.

"Alright, let's go." She said, gesturing for the others to follow behind her.

As soon as they stepped out onto the street, there was already a large crowd of people milling about. As usual, the roads were packed, and they weren't even close to Times Square yet. Although the crowd of people wasn't the iconic hordes of downtown New York City, it was still a considerable number more than her hometown population of Bakersfield.

Lexi confidently lead them in the direction of the huge city hub, wondering just what sort of adventures awaited them.

* * *

"Woah…" Shachi and Penguin both whispered noises of awe, heads tilting back to get the full view of their destination.

Unable to help the satisfied grin that they were impressed, Lexi stepped back and spread her arms a bit wider, indicating the room. "Welcome to Grand Central Terminal, boys."

'Grand' was certainly one way to describe it. The dark yellow brick of the building was illuminated by yellow lighting, and the high, curved green ceiling above them made everything feel a lot bigger than it probably was. The four tourists were left gazing up at the marvel of just how _big_ this place was. And, despite knowing about the grandeur of this city from media and word-of-mouth, even Lexi was struck still at the sheer beauty of this place.

"This was a train station?" Law asked quietly, not looking quite as openly impressed as his two subordinates, but still nonetheless surprised by the sight. The brunette nodded an affirmation.

"Mhmm. This place has always been a central hub for the city and the main source of transit." She explained, and the finally began to walk further inside to really get the full feel of it.

Lexi looked around at the other people. Some seemed to be doing just as they were, admiring the sight, while others simply walked along their way. She was amazed that anyone could just walk through without acknowledging the beauty of their surroundings. Though, perhaps, they'd done so for years on end, and after all that time, even the most spectacular of views can seem mundane. It was a bit sobering. Still, she turned back to the ceiling and didn't let that thought deter her.

They spent over an hour exploring the sights inside the building, before Lexi felt they'd truly experienced the place for what it was. Then, she excitedly exclaimed that she'd thought of the next place to go.

* * *

"We aren't going to walk all the way to the other side, that would take forever, but we'll at least go a ways in so you can see the East River." Lexi said, pointing towards what Law and the others could only describe as one of the largest structures they'd ever seen.

Law even raised a brow at the immensity of the bridge, and just how long it spanned across the river itself. There were very few manmade things of this size back in their world. The technological advancement of Lexi's world tended to far surpass what they had yet to accomplish.

"That's huge!" Penguin cried, pulling on the sides of his hat in amazement.

"What is it?" Shachi asked, knowing something so massive had to have a pretty cool name too.

"That's the Brooklyn Bridge. It connects Manhattan and Brooklyn together." Lexi explained with a smile, already beginning to navigate her way through the crowd to head towards it. The others quickly followed suit, not wanting to get lost in the large number of people milling about.

Even after 15 minutes of walking, they still hadn't even reached a point close to the middle of the bridge. It was incredible, the sheer length of the roadway and the height of the supporting pillars holding it up. Law had to crane his head back just to see the top.

Without the interference of the tall buildings to block it, the wind lashed at the three pirates and the brunette, enough to have them holding onto their hats for fear of them blowing away by a particularly strong gust.

"Ok, I've heard the view was amazing, but I didn't think it would be this cool!" Lexi yelled to be heard over the rushing wind, pointing out over the suspension cables to see the East River below. Further to the side was the iconic cityscape view that every cheesy postcard had of New York City. The pictures didn't do it justice.

The sun was still high in the sky, giving most of the buildings a bright shine, some even painfully glaring straight into their eyes. Their height alone was intimidating, even from this long distance, and Lexi wondered how small she'd feel walking right beside them.

They spent some time admiring the scene from the bridge, dodging other people as they walked, biked, and selfied their way across the bridge, finally feeling the heat from the sun above getting to them. With a mutual agreement, they all started to head back to the side of the bridge they'd come from.

* * *

Lexi was surprised how well-behaved the three pirates were being. Usually, they were nosy and getting into things they shouldn't. Though, the sheer awe-inspiring sights around them may have struck them so surprised and amazed that they didn't even think to do things they shouldn't. She wasn't exactly complaining about it.

Being day 2 of their New York City vacation, Lexi decided that today they would go see Central Park first. She'd originally wanted to do a picnic, but bringing all the food and stuff to have it would have been a bit difficult. Thus, in true New York Style, they'd bought hot dogs from the nearest stand and wandered into the park midday.

Most of the shaded spots under trees were taken up by other citizens and tourists enjoying the atmosphere of the park, however, Lexi was able to nab a small patch of shade when one group of people finally left.

"Ah…my feet are killing me…" Lexi groaned, laying down in the grass to give her feet a rest. The boys did the same, happy to get a bit of shade after being in the sun constantly for the past day and a half.

"This city is huge, Lexi-chan!" Shachi commented, eating more of his hotdog.

"This is one of, if not the most, iconic cities in the country." Lexi tried explaining as she popped her back with a small moan. "But it's not the biggest city we have. I think that title belongs to another place, but I can't think of it right now." She shrugged indifferently, not really wanting to think that hard about the topic. She just wanted to sit and relax in the marvel of actually being in Central Park. This was amazing.

They mostly enjoyed the silence, save for barking dogs that ran by with owners and the odd bicyclist wheeling by. Watching the people who knew their way around this place walk or play with their dogs was just as relaxing as laying there, so Lexi in particular resorted to doing just that. Part of her curiosity towards the people were to try to distinguish how New York people were different than her, or how their drastically different city cultures changed them.

The four of them enjoyed their hot dogs and the chance to sit down, until they were recovered enough to move onto the next landmark. Lexi, in particular, was excited for the next one.

* * *

If Law and the others thought that New York City could be peaceful, that impression was effectively shattered once they started walking the streets again. Even more so once they reached their destination as the sun was going down.

Along the way, people shouted, yelled, and laughed. Powerful machinery manned by workers in orange vests droned on at an incredible volume. Cars and trucks, most of which were strangely yellow, crept by at a slow pace, honking when someone or another began to get on someone else's nerves.

Lexi didn't seem too affected by it, but the others were a bit disoriented and caught off guard. Their cities were loud, but not this loud.

After what they believed to be an impossible amount of time walking, and the sun having just gone down over the horizon, which they could no longer see because of the massive 'skyscrapers,' as Lexi called them, they finally arrived to where Lexi was so excited to get to. The only indication the sun had gone down was the darkening of the sky above them. This only made it 'more iconic,' according to the brunette. Law couldn't exactly understand why, but oh well.

The farther they walked into the city, the more congested and loud it seemed to get. It got to the point where the crowds of people on the sidewalks were so large, it would be easy to lose each other simply walking beside one another. Lexi resorted to leading them in a line, and having the boys grab onto one another's shirts, just in case.

Eventually, she stopped, staring up at the huge billboards and moving signs and bright colors of the lights of the city. Seeing her amazement, the boys followed suit, staring up at all the commotion that was honestly so stifling and congested. The beginnings of a headache were pounding at Law's head, but for the life of him he couldn't seem to look away.

"I never thought I'd get to see Broadway like this…" Lexi said reverently, ignoring the bitter looks from the people trying to get past the four people stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. Her awe was infectious, for even though none of the pirates knew what the hell a Broadway was, it surely looked spectacular.

"What exactly is this place?" Law leaned closer so she could hear him through the noise of the streets. She turned her head, regarding his question, without her eyes leaving the giant glowing signs displaying the shows available to see.

"It's called Broadway, one of the most famous places in the city. There are dozens of theaters around here where you can see award-winning shows, but they are hella expensive to get tickets. There's no way we'd be able to see one."

Her sentence turned a little sad, and Law cocked a brow, looking around for anyone he could easily steal a wallet or two from to scrounge up the money, but her hand gripping his arm drew his attention back to her. She had her eyes narrowed.

"Don't even think about it."

Law smirked innocently, shrugging. She released him and gestured for them to follow further down the way. Law still kept an eye out, but he would abide by her rules. For now.

* * *

Day 3 of their New York adventure found them on their way to the Statue of Liberty. It took a long explanation of what exactly it stood for and where it had come from, but at least the boys looked a little less confused as to it's significance afterwards. Or maybe they were just going with what she said, hoping she'd stop talking about it. Either way.

Lexi was sure that she was the one getting the most out of this trip, visiting famous landmarks that actually meant something to her culture, but she hoped the pirates weren't too in the dark about most of it. They were still really cool things to see, even if they held no emotional value for them. The Statue of Liberty was one of them.

The boat ride over was surprisingly shorter than what the brunette expected, but before long, they were on Liberty Island, the 300 foot statue looming above them in all it's glory.

"It looks so much smaller in pictures." Lexi marveled, leading them all closer to the statue. The base itself was about 150 feet, and just looking up at it was a strain on her neck.

"You're allowed to go up in the statue?" Penguin pointed to a sign further down the path that read 'STATUE OF LIBERTY CROWN TOUR: TICKETS REQUIRED IN ADVANCE."

Lexi smiled, then reached into her bag for something. She pulled out a few tickets with a grin. "Yup! I bought them when Brittany suggested we take a vacation. We can go all the way up to the crown if we want to."

"Awesome!" Shachi and Penguin pulled ahead, eager to get to the entrance. Lexi shook her head, following after them at a slower pace with Law.

"Those two are going to get themselves killed by their own excitement one day." She remarked, grinning over at Law. He only sighed with a look of resignation.

"I'm aware."

They entered the structure just below the statue, and Lexi was forced to put her bag in a locker. The security checked them over with a pat-down, which made Law frown in suspicion. It seemed he didn't like strangers touching him too much. Lexi could almost laugh at the clear distrust he had in the security man telling him to hold his arms at to his sides.

They all cleared the checkpoint without a problem, surprisingly, and Lexi lead them towards the elevator that would take them to the topmost part of the pedestal. After that, it would be a 300+ step staircase leading up to the crown.

It was quite a trek up to the top, but definitely worth it, as Lexi gasped at the view of the river and New York City in the background. Her fear of heights began to kick in, however, and she refused to step any closer than a few feet away from the windows. Law and the others laughed at her fear, but she wouldn't budge, content to simply look from that distance.

They enjoyed the view from the crown for awhile, finally getting their fill and descending the steps to go back to the pedestal level. Inside the pedestal area, was a small museum dedicated to the creation and history of the site itself. Old black and white pictures, schematics and other curious history bits hung on the walls, with replicas here and there to showcase the size of the statue by comparing it to other things. But the showpiece of the whole area was the original torch that was used in the construction of the statue.

"What happened?" Shachi questioned, and Lexi honestly didn't know the answer. Luckily, a museum attendant was nearby and stepped closer to explain.

"The torch was replaced due to improper installation and repairs, but the State of Liberty has been damaged before, so that held some part in it."

Lexi's eyebrows rose, never having heard of this fact before. "Really?"

The attendant nodded. "Mhmm. In 1916, there was an explosion on Black Tom Island, which was very close to where the Statue of Liberty is today." The man pointed to a diagram on the wall that depicted a manmade, artificial island in close proximity to Liberty Island. "Back then, it was a major munitions depot for the U.S.

"Now at that time we hadn't yet entered World War I, but a German agent, angry that we were supplying Great Britain and France with supplies for the war, tried to sabotage the munitions trade by planting a bomb." He gestured to another diagram, of a grainy picture of the Statue of Liberty. "Some of the debris from the explosion damaged the torch, though the repairs done to fix it weren't exactly top-notch. They ended up entirely replacing the torch in 1986 when a restoration project was proposed on the statue. So, the torch you see in front of you is, in fact, the original used to construct it."

Lexi thanked the attendant for the information, and they were left to admire the piece themselves. Most of the explanation probably went over the heads of the pirates, especially with all the war references, but Lexi appreciated the additional history into what had happened.

They spent a few hours roaming the place, with Lexi taking pictures where she could. There was a lot of history about Ellis Island, and the original French construction team and initial plans. Lexi was fascinated with the history, while the two idiots were amazed by the construction and engineering aspect. Law just looked on indifferently, though she could tell he did at least appreciate the place for what it was.

Finally, they walked back outside and sat on a bench. The heat was getting to them, and Lexi was too tired to stand again. She dug out a few dollars from her bag and handed them to Shachi and Penguin. "Go get us some drinks." She pointed to a couple vending machines further down the way, and they eagerly went to do as told.

Law relaxed further into the bench, looking up at the statue again. Lexi closed her eyes and stretched out her legs. The pirate beside her surveyed the land that he could, realizing that there wasn't a place anywhere in miles where you couldn't see the skyscrapers of the main city at the edge or backdrop of any location.

"Got something on your mind?" Lexi asked, seeing his thoughtful expression. He only nodded slowly, not tearing his eyes away.

"It's remarkable the level of skill and ingenuity your world seems to hold, and just how calm it all seems."

Lexi raised a brow. "Calm? New York City seems calm to you?" He shook his head.

"That's not exactly what I mean. Not the place, but the people." He tried explaining better, but she only frowned. "The people aren't against everyone else, or suspicious of strangers. They treat people as other humans."

Lexi pursed her lips, glancing around at the people closest to them, as if examining them for herself. It was hard to really make that conclusion, seeing as everyone was different, and the east coast individuals could be a little more gruff than those on the west coast. Or so they always said. She wondered what comparison Law was putting them in. Or, better yet, who they were being compared with.

Before she had a chance to say anything, he continued. "I only wonder why you can't seem to find a purpose or reason to live in a place as passive as this." He turned to her finally. "Your world doesn't seem all that bad. In fact, I can't imagine you understanding the sort of horrors we live through, the sort of evil things that are a normal occurrence."

For a moment, Lexi only stared at him, unsure of what to say. Perhaps her world seemed tame to him. It was quite possible. But really, he didn't understand. They were all human. They were all capable of the exact same atrocities. The world didn't matter, did it?

"There's one last place I want to see before we head back tomorrow. Maybe it'll change your perspective of my world." She finally replied softly, turning her attention back to the pathway. Her eyes searched for their two missing companions, frowning when they weren't by the vending machine where she told them to go.

People were milling about before her, and she glanced around to try to spot them in the crowd, but failed to find them. Those two hats should have been easy to pick out, but New York was a strange place, and they weren't even the strangest dressed. She stood, stretching her back and feeling like maybe sending them had been a bad idea.

"Shachi? Penguin?" She called, trying to listen for a response of any kind. There was nothing. Law stood from the bench as well, straightening his hoodie.

"I'm assuming there are laws against that." Law said, drawing her attention to whatever he was pointing. She looked up, noticing two familiar figures currently in the process of climbing the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Of course. Of _course_ they would be trying to climb the Statue of Liberty, one of the most iconic landmarks of her country. Why had she expected anything different.

"…Yes… _Many, many laws…"_ Lexi's eye twitched, and she stomped her way over to where they were scaling the side.

* * *

It was night. The rest of the day had dragged by, especially for the two pirates who now suspected they would go deaf from the amount of yelling Lexi had put them through, and felt as though their heads would have permanent lumps on the back from her smacks. At least she'd quieted down from her meltdown at the Statue of Liberty. Perhaps the environment had something to do with it.

For as noisy as New York City could get, strangely, this area was quiet. Almost eerie. And it was intentional, if Law had to guess. The amount of people hadn't decreased, but they all had expressions of pain, or awe, or sadness, or even peace. There was no hurry to get anywhere around here, and people lingered for longer than what seemed appropriate for simple sightseeing. Law, just as much as his two subordinates, was confused. One glance at their brunette companion saw that she was in the same amount of awe and serenity as the rest of them, and Law wondered what significance this place held.

"Lexi-ya, what exactly-"

"Shh." She hushed him, not bothering to explain at the moment. Irked that his question wouldn't be answered quite yet, he followed nonetheless, wondering if things would explain themselves before too long.

Set in front of them were two impressive structures, yet again, but this time not for their grandeur or large size. Instead, all they seemed to look like were two large, square cuts in the ground, with water pouring from the sides into the basin below. It was simplistic, serene, and the soft white lights edging the top into the water below gave in an unearthly glow. The soft sound of flowing water was all the background noise there was, save for the distant echo of honking cars of the rest of the city.

Lexi lead them closer to the first structure, stopping right beside it and trailing her hand along the edge reverently. Her silence was what bothered him most. Up to this point, she'd been eager to gush about the 'historical landmarks' of the iconic city, as she described it. Her enthusiasm was larger than all three of the pirates combined, so what was it about this place? It was then that Law saw words etched into the stone, and illuminated by light shining from underneath, making the words visible even at night.

No, not words.

Names.

His eyes trailed the long rock surface that edged the square pool, even as Lexi spoke. "Each name is someone who died here."

It seemed the intensity and seriousness that this place afforded effected Penguin and Shachi as well, because they were uncharacteristically silent. Not even a question from them, figuring that Lexi would explain it in due time. And she did, taking her time, so as to choose her words carefully.

"There used to be two skyscrapers right in these spots." She gestured over the two illuminated squares, "At one point they were the tallest in the world." There was a long pause before she spoke again, becoming distracted by the beauty of the memorial. "There was a group of men who took planes and flew directly into them. Everyone tried to escape, but the buildings were burning and the wreckage was…incredibly awful. It took just an hour for them both to collapse.

Shachi and Penguin were stunned into silence, too shocked by the implications. Law only watched her respectfully, as it sounded like she had more to add.

She looked down at the names, finger idly tracing one. "You'd think this was enough bloodshed for the people responsible, but then we learned that there were 2 other hijacked planes. One attacked what's called the Pentagon, a government building. The other crashed in a field because the passengers resisted, but most think it was headed towards our country's capital city."

For several moments they lapsed into silence, listening only to the sound of the water trickling down and the whispers of the people around them, laying gifts at the stone memorial, and sticking small flowers into the names themselves.

"Did you lose someone close to you because of it?" He asked, and she shook her head with a shrug.

"No, but that didn't matter. They were still our people, part of our country."

Law said nothing, not quite able to relate to her sense of patriotism. The only people he was loyal to were his crew.

"Almost 3,000 people died. All because of a handful of others who wanted to kill some people." She concluded, standing straighter and sighing at the sight of such a beautiful and haunting place. She turned to look at Law again, speaking softly. "Just because we act nice to each other here doesn't mean my world isn't just as fucked up as yours. We're just skilled at pretending we're not."

She stared at him awhile, willing him to understand, and eventually he nodded a little. She turned back to the memorial, glad that he could respect what was afforded to a place like this.

Lexi wandered along the edges of the memorial, reading most of the names etched there. It felt wrong to take a picture, almost intrusive, and so Lexi spent all the time she could memorizing the feel, the sound, and the sight of this place, making sure to forever keep this experience in her soul.


	31. Just the Two of Us

"This is entirely your fault."

Law, still drenched with sea water and breathing heavily from almost drowning, lay on the sand behind the brunette, who was currently pouting with crossed arms. His vision blurry, but slowly clearing, he could barely made out the tense muscles of her back through her shirt. The glare he directed towards it could have killed. Unfortunately, it didn't. A quick glance at his sword, which was lying beside him, left him relieved that he hadn't lost it, though also wondering if Lexi was deserving enough to be sliced in half with it's blade.

Lexi, who was equally as soaked as he, sported a furious glare of her own, but directed it instead at the vast ocean that surrounded them, spanning several miles with no visible islands on the horizon anywhere. For all intents and purposes, they were marooned. Great. This was just _great_.

"You just _had_ to go and attack a sea king." The brunette continued, not bothering to actually look at him while she lectured him. Her voice shifted to one of mocking. "Big, bad, Trafalgar Law. Captain of the biggest fucking ego I've ever seen."

"I had it under control." Law defended himself, sitting up as the energy previously drained from the sea water began to return. It was still a bit dizzying to do so, but at least he could feel most of his strength coming back to him.

"Under control?" Accompanying her incredulous question, she turned to really scowl at him now. "The entire damn sub was being pushed _on its side._ You call that under control!?"

"We've dealt with worse." The Captain hissed, tired of listening to her complaining. "Besides, things wouldn't have turned out this way if _someone_ had just stayed inside like I _told_ her to."

"Oh, so now it's my fault for wanting to help you?" Lexi stood, walking a few feet away out of irritation. He did the same, albeit a bit slower.

"In this instance, yes."

"You can't be serious."

"I gave you a direct order to stay in the sub!"

"Me being outside made no difference as far as this outcome is concerned! You would have been thrown into the ocean regardless if I'd been there or not!" She gestured angrily to the ocean, which was now fairly calm despite a storm having passed by less than an hour ago.

Law rolled his eyes, pointing at her accusingly. "Had I been by myself, I wouldn't have had to worry about protecting another person I wasn't expecting to be there in the first place. I never would have been thrown off guard and fallen into the ocean."

"Argh! It's always _someone else's fault_ with you! I'm sick of it!" Lexi shouted to the sky, throwing her hands up in exasperation. Tired of arguing with him, since he wasn't listening anyways, she stormed off in the other direction.

"Where are you going?" His anger hadn't subsided, but it was irritating to see her just walk away from him. Like he wasn't worth her time. _Women,_ he thought bitterly.

"This way! Whether you come or not, I don't really care!" Was her distant reply. Lexi pushed a few branches of the brush away, creating a path that she could walk through, and disappeared into the forest.

The Captain growled, wishing that he didn't have to deal with a moody woman now that they were stranded on this island. The anger was enough to conveniently forget that had she not have been there, he'd have drowned in the ocean because of his devil fruit. There wasn't really any way to tell if she'd been the cause of his distraction, but he had been pretty sure he'd had it under control. Probably. But he'd be damned to admit that she was half right on the issue. She had still disobeyed an order to stay inside the sub.

Figuring that leaving her to wander around by herself was just as bad as having to hear her accusations, Law trailed after where he'd seen her enter. The sunlight on the beach was left behind as he entered the thick forest. A few dozen feet ahead of him was Lexi, tromping through the trees and bushes with a purpose. That purpose being to get as far away from him as possible. Sighing again, he followed after her. Splitting up on an island they had no knowledge of was probably worse than having to be beside the one person he was not happy with at that moment.

Even when he caught up to her, she said nothing, preferring to glare directly ahead of her into the forest. Law wasn't really inclined to speak either, but they had to start somewhere in terms of a plan. Wandering around the forest forever wasn't any way to go about surviving the wild.

"We need to find a shelter for the night, since dusk is only a few hours away, and a source of water."

"I know." Her answer was clipped, the anger still quite evident in her tone.

Resisting the urge to further argue with her about this, he simply began searching the area around them for some place to shelter for the night, or a body of water that may provide them with clean, drinkable water. The ocean wouldn't do, so saturated with salt that it was undrinkable.

The silence blanketed over them again as they walked through the trees. Neither pirate was in the mood for idle conversation, nor did they want to discuss their issues with the other seeing as that would probably only lead to more explosive accusations and, ultimately a waste of both of their breath. It didn't matter now anyways. They were stuck here one way or another.

The terrain quickly shifted from a forest to more of a mountainous, rocky path. The way was slower going than before, and several times the two stumbled over the uneven ground. And, just to top things off, the sky began to darker, and the sound of rain began to patter on the rocks and the few trees that were nearby. Fat drops of water sprinkled Lexi's and Law's already wet clothing. It seemed the storm that had accompanied their swim through the ocean had returned, just to rub salt in the wound.

It must have been a half hour before Lexi pointed to the side, indicating a space in the rock where it was hollowed out.

"There."

The two approached the opening, which looked a lot smaller up close, but still had enough room to fit the both of them, plus some space for moving around.

"This'll have to do." Law agreed, crouching and entering the small cove. At least it would get them out of the rain. Lexi hung back, looking around for something. "What is it?" The Captain questioned, noticing her distraction.

"Looking for firewood."

"With the rain, I doubt there will be anything dry enough to light. And we have no matches." It wasn't like he was trying to be pessimistic about things, but it seemed logical enough. Still, Lexi appeared to take it that way.

"Well, excuse _me_ for trying to figure out how to keep us warm." He heard her mutter under her breath. His eye twitched, but he held his tongue. Oh, how she tested his patience. Too much more of this and he may just retaliate. Violently.

Reluctantly, she returned to the cove, scooting into the space left open for her. Law had placed his sword inside, and sat against the wall of the opening, facing her. He watched her bring her knees to her chest and wrap her arms around them, huddling up to somehow retain warmth.

The sun had given them some warmth during the day, but with the rain and the wind blowing through, a distinct chill tinged the air, making the both of them shiver. Looking across at his companion, he saw that her wet hair clung to the sides of her face and down her neck, the ponytail holding it having been lost in the ocean during their swim to shore. Law imagined he looked no better.

Seeing her in as bad a shape as she was, the realization that they had both narrowly avoided death began to sink in, and some of the anger faded. She had only been trying to help, despite having disobeyed an order. He supposed he couldn't fault her for that. The situation onboard the sub against the Sea King had been fairly dangerous, and him facing it alone probably wasn't the smartest of plans, but they'd handled the giant creatures before. The only unexpected factor had been the rain, surprising them when they had surfaced to take down the Sea King.

He supposed being angry or not made no difference at this point. They were stuck on this island until the crew found them. With a sigh, he began to scoot closer to the shivering brunette.

"Come here." He instructed, ignoring her confused and still slightly scowling face as he guided her into his lap, facing him.

She followed without question, not resisting as he guided her to straddle his waist. When he wrapped his arms around her back, drawing her closer, she did the same to him. It wasn't the most comfortable, but at least it wasn't unbearable, and would possibly keep the both of them warm at the same time. Seeing as building a fire wasn't an option, there were very few left.

Through his hoodie and her shirt, he could barely feel her heartbeat. Faint, but still there, it helped to calm his nerves and diminish the last remaining irritation he'd been feeling. Being so bitter about the circumstances wouldn't help them now. It was a waste of breath and energy. And at least he wasn't having to figure out all of this on his own.

Lexi must have been thinking along the same lines, because after a few minutes of leaning comfortably into his chest, she sighed against his neck, her warm breath skirting against his skin. "I'm sorry for yelling earlier." Came her quiet admission.

He shook his head silently, letting the matter go. Thankfully, she understood his meaning and said nothing more about it, instead closing her eyes and relishing the small amount of heat they were generating between themselves.

* * *

 

Law woke with a sore back. Sleeping against the side of a rock for several hours would do that to you. He blinked, suddenly noticing the lack of a woman leaning against his chest. A quick search of the little cove showed that Lexi was not inside, nor was she in the area just outside of it. His sword was also missing. Frowning, he made his way out into the sunlight.

There didn't appear to be any sign of a storm from the night before, the ground having dried as morning came. With each step, it helped to pop his back a little, until he'd made his way down the hill of rocks. Even upon reaching the bottom, he didn't see any sign of his female crew member.

"Lexi-ya?" He called out, wondering where she could be. For several moments, there was no response, until the rustling of trees further on caught his attention, and she suddenly stepped out from the tree line.

"Hey, sorry! I didn't want to wake you up, since you'd had such a rough night yesterday." She called, carefully traversing her way back through the rocky path while carrying something. She shrugged then. "And I guess as a way of apology for being so bitchy before."

"Where did you get that?" Law asked in surprise as he realized she was carrying a rather large trout in one hand, and what appeared to be a makeshift fishing pole in the other. With her was also his sword. She grinned, approaching him finally.

"I caught it just a bit ago! There was this lake further in the forest, and I was able to make a fishing pole of sorts to catch with." She held up her catch proudly. "All we need is to build a fire and we can cook this baby up."

He nodded, impressed. "I'll see if I can start us a fire, but we still need to find a fresh water source."

"Already taken care of. The lake is fresh water, and safe to drink."

"…Well done." He eventually said, surprised she'd done so much in a single morning. It seemed there were still resources for them to take advantage nearby, which would make surviving until the crew found them so much easier.

"Now, hopefully the wood around here is drying enough to build a fire." She grinned, stepping past him to return to their little cove in the rock wall. He watched her go, deciding that yes, it was a good thing she was here with him.

* * *

 

That morning was spent gutting the trout, and struggling to build a fire from the wood they could gather nearby. It was still a little damp, so they left it to dry in the hot rays of the sun, hoping that before long, they'd be able to cook their food. Both of their stomachs were growling, and by the time Law was able to actually get the wood to light, they could even say they were starving.

"Finally…" Lexi groaned in relief, watching as the first few flames of fire began to lick the bottom of the logs they'd chopped. Law sat back, supplying a few smaller bits of wood as kindling, feeding the flames until they overtook most of the wood in the makeshift fire pit.

They stuck a stick through the gutted and cleaned fish and both held onto an end and spun it slowly, cooking all sides evenly.

"How are we going to be rescued?" Lexi asked suddenly, looking up to Law in expectation. He gave her only a glance, having been thinking about just that thing only a moment ago. He let out a sigh.

"At this point, I don't know. Obviously we'll build a bonfire to try to be sighted." He sent an irritated look over at the sky, which was beginning to get dark again with possible rain. "Unfortunately, that'll also be difficult to maintain, seeing as it probably rains quite frequently on this island."

"Great…" Lexi groaned, leaning further back into the cove with disappointment. "Just what I wanted to hear."

He shrugged. "The best we can do is just rebuild the fire every time it goes out. Or create some sort of shelter so it isn't put out constantly."

Lexi nodded, thinking about what they could do. Thankfully, Law's ability made any construction plans much easier to work around, so there wouldn't be too much manual labor involved. "Like a cover of leaves overhead? We could do that." She reasoned, and Law nodded in turn.

"Exactly. Hopefully, though, Bepo can determine the currents from where we were thrown overboard, and figure out which direction we were sent adrift."

"Let's just hope, yeah?" She turned her attention back to the fish they were turned, watching as the scales slowly turned a grilled tan from the flames.

"Yeah." He finished tiredly. The next few days were going to be difficult. He just prayed that Bepo would find them quickly.

* * *

 

"There has to be fruit of some sort growing on the island. I'm going to go find some." Lexi pushed adamantly, stepping out from their rock cove and descending the small hill just outside of it. Law had made great use of his devil fruit shortly after they ate their fish that morning, expanding the size of the opening in the mountain so they didn't have to crouch to fit inside. They could now comfortably both lay down inside without too much difficulty.

Law rose from his seated position against the wall and followed after her, wondering why she was so adamant about this. "We can just fish from the lake for our food."

Lexi shook her head, turning to look at him. "Yeah, but we aren't always going to be guaranteed to catch a fish when we're hungry. What if they just don't bite? We'll need a backup plan."

The Heart Pirate Captain supposed that was true, though he still didn't understand why it had to be fruit particularly. She'd been talking about it for at least ten minutes now. He just couldn't grasp her fascination.

Deciding that she was finished talking with him, she turned on her heel and began to walk towards the forest. "You're going alone?" He questioned.

"Well I don't see you following, so I guess I am."

Law shook his head, turning back to retrieve his sword, then finally walking closer to her to follow. He'd rather have to accompany her everywhere than wonder if she'd been eaten by a bear or something while she went out alone. "You're too reckless. There could be dangerous animals that reside here, you know."

At that little proclamation Lexi stopped in her tracks, seeming to consider the possibility. Her eyes glanced over to examine Law's sword before the woman shrugged. "We'll be fine, I'm sure."

Cocking at brow at her confidence, he was only a step behind her as they stepped into the thick forest area of the island.

The two pirates came to a larger clearing than the rest of the forest, with a stream running through it. Having been walking for most of the hour, the pirates were tired and needed a break.

"Even I'm a little surprised we haven't come across any sort of fruit-bearing tree." Law admitted, easing down onto a rock beside the stream. It felt nice to just sit there. "Plus, this island is much bigger than I expected."

"Yeah, I thought we'd reach the other end by now too." Lexi agreed, crouching beside the stream and splashing a little onto her hands. Bringing them to the back of her neck, she tried washing away some of the sweat that had began to settle there. Standing again, she felt the familiar need building up in her bladder.

Spotting a thicker patch of bushes further away, she started heading towards them. Law went to stand and follow, but she waved him away. "Be right back. Gotta pee."

"Don't stray too far." He cautioned, glancing around at the forest that surrounded them. The loud cawing of birds had accompanied most of their walk that day, so obviously there was life on this island with them, but he worried about the much larger predators that could possibly be roaming around. Lexi was defenseless without a weapon.

"Yeah, yeah." She wandered out of his line of sight, then a few more paces out for good measure, before unzipping her shorts to pull them down. She took care of her business, carefully keeping an eye out on the surrounding

In her search, she spotted a tree further on that appeared to have fruit in it's leaves up top. Thrilled, she hurriedly pulled her shorts back up and zipped them securely, heading off towards that direction to check it out for herself. It was still a good distance away, but she didn't say anything to Law, not wanting it to be a false alarm should it turn out to just be weird-looking leaves.

She stepped over rocks and ducked under overhanging branches. The closer she got to the tree, the wider her smile became. Yes! Fruit! It looked like oranges, but she couldn't be sure. Before long, her feet carried her all the way to the base of the tree, and she looked up at the leaves. The oranges looked ripe, thank goodness. Having to climb the first branch she could reach, Lexi was able to grab a handful of the fruits and pick them off the leaves.

Carrying as much as she could without risk of dropping them, Lexi hopped back from the branch, landing on her feet rather roughly. "Oof!" Escaped her lips unbidden, as the force of the landing took her breath away for a moment. Taking a second to recover, she faced the tree again, looking up at the fruit one last time.

The low rumble of an animal's growl directly at her back made her freeze in place. Eyes wide with terror as the hot breath of the creature could be felt through her shirt. It sniffed and inspected her, the constant low, purr/growl of the animal making her gulp. Unable to move from fear, Lexi could feel her limbs shaking, skin going cold, and adrenaline pumping wildly through her veins.

Her eyes flicked upwards, trying to gauge how quickly she could scale the tree with the animal so close behind her. It gave a particularly loud snarling growl and she flinched in place. Fearing that saying any word at all would only prompt the beast to act, Lexi decided that she'd wait until she was up in the tree to call for Law, who was probably wondering where in the hell she was at that point.

With a mental countdown starting from three, Lexi dropped the fruit from her hands and jumped as quickly as she could towards the nearest branch.

* * *

 

Law leaned comfortably against his sword, wondering where in the hell his companion was. It had been over ten minutes now. She should have taken care of her business by this point. Still, he didn't really feel too thrilled with the thought of startling her while in a compromising position. Dammit, but he was tired of just sitting there and waiting.

Scowling, Law nearly jumped in place when he heard the loud roar of a beast not too far off from where he was. Following it was a feminine and familiar yell of terror.

" _LAW!_ " Lexi screamed, cut short by a shriek of fear. He hurried to his feet and unsheathed his sword, running towards the direction the sound had come from. He sliced branches and leaves that were in his way, carving a path through the forest as he sprinted.

Breaking through the trees, he spotted a massive tiger clawing at the trunk of a tree, a terrified Lexi sitting up in a branch overhead. The tiger growled and roared in frustration, it's prey being out of reach. As he watched, the tiger readied itself on it's paws and leaped with great power into the branch nearest to Lexi. She screamed again, scrambling to find another that would bring her out of reach of the beast again.

"Lexi!" He yelled, drawing the tiger's attention towards him for just a moment, before it locked it's big eyes onto the brunette once more. "Tch." He scoffed, raising his hand to create that swirling energy of his devil fruit.

"Room!" The blue sphere expanded past them, and Law raised two fingers, twisting them suddenly. "Shambles!"

In an instant, Lexi was sitting on the ground beside him, and a rock that had previously been in it's spot tumbled to the ground from the tree branch. Lexi scrambled to her feet, hiding behind Law as the tiger roared again, jumping down once it realized that it's prey was no longer in the tree.

It slinked closer to Law, slowly approaching as if it knew he was armed and dangerous. Bringing up his sword to swing, the tiger charged suddenly, but Law was just in time, catching the tiger in the shoulder as he stabbed his blade into it's body and pinning it to the ground. It cried out in pain and shock, but he simply pulled the sword from the shoulder and stabbed it once more into it's head, killing it instantly and cutting off the noise.

The tiger's body went lax, and he pulled out his sword from it's body. Lexi collapsed, panting, to the ground from relief and a large amount of her energy being spent trying to escape the claws of the tiger. She glanced over at the tree, seeing the long claw marks that ran down one side of the tree trunk, where it had initially swiped at her during her first jump for the branches.

She eyed Law tiredly. "Thanks…"

"Didn't I say not to wander off?" He replied, sitting beside her as he inspected his blade. He'd need to wash the tip free of blood, but other than that, it was still in good condition.

"Yeah…" She reluctantly agreed, before smiling enthusiastically. "…but look! Oranges!"

He followed her finger to the oranges that still hung in the trees and were scatted about the ground. Some were squashed from the tiger's paws, but most were still edible. Shaking his head incredulously, he rubbed at his forehead. Lexi laughed at his frustration, content to just lay there for a bit as the adrenaline started to wear off.

* * *

 

The day had been long, with Law and Lexi building the apparatus to smoke signal for the crew. They then had to sit on the beach and watch the horizon for any sign of the yellow sub, all the while shielding the fire from the storm that did eventually pass through. Law had been correct when he'd predicted it rained a lot here.

Most of the day had been uncomfortably maintaining the fire, and it left both of them exhausted at the end of the day. They'd taken the time to eat some of the oranges that Lexi had procured for them the day before, but other than that, they'd been too tired to try fishing or anything of the sort. They'd both retired to the cave without complaint.

Considering they were forced to sleep on a rock floor, with nothing but a thin cover of leaves for bedding, the two pirates had a rather good sleep. That is, until Lexi was awoken by a strange feeling. She frowned, eyes still closed, before cracking them open a little to inspect her surroundings.

Law was still asleep beside her, looking just uncomfortable as she probably did. Still, at least he was getting sleep. Wondering why she'd woken up, Lexi turned in place to face the opposite direction, her back beginning to ache from prolonged-

The brunette spotted something that was darker in color than the rest of the rock ceiling above them. Pausing, her eyes widened when she counted out…one, two, three…eight legs on whatever was above them. Lexi was unable to move, too terrified that what she was seeing wasn't an illusion, a trick of the light, a dream of some kind, because it hadn't yet moved. Maybe her eyes were just playing tricks on her, heh, yeah.

The… _thing…_ she didn't dare to even think of the name for it, was at least six inches long, clinging to the rock ceiling right over where she was sleeping.

Lexi veerrryyy slllooowwwlllyyy snaked her hand beside her to poke Law in the side. At first he didn't stir, but by the second panic-fueled, more insistent jab of her finger into his side, he groaned and opened his eyes.

"…what…is it?" He grumbled, but she only pointed mutely to the ceiling, and he followed her gaze upwards. His eyes widened at the sheer size of the thing above them, but he wasn't hindered by quite the same fear that gripped Lexi's veins and made her unable to move more than stirring him awake.

Lexi watched Law out of the corner of her eye as he reached for his weapon, but in doing so, startled the unwanted guest above them, and it scurried a few feet away before dropping to the ground.

Directly next to Lexi's face.

It was too much for her to handle.

She screamed in fright, flinging her arms around in panic as she stood, running towards the entrance of their cove. The spider scurried away from her and back towards the rear of the cave that Law had created for them. He jumped out of it's way, already unsheathing his sword to take care of it, but Lexi was already dozens of feet away and still going.

"FUCK THIS ISLAND!" She yelled into the night, wanting nothing to do with this place any longer.

* * *

 

The next day, Lexi and Law were back at the edge of the beach tending the fire that sent waves of smoke up into the air. Hopefully, if the crew was surfaced, they'd see the plume of smoke and come rescue them soon. However, there was no sign of the yellow sub anywhere on the horizon, leaving the two castaways less than enthused about having to spend another day on the island.

Lexi in particular had become pretty bitter about it, rather sleep deprived after the incident that previous night. Law had been unsuccessful in coaxing her back into their makeshift shelter, despite having already killed the spider. The brunette refused to even step foot inside, let alone sleep there. Law had sighed, laying back down on his mat of leaves to try to sleep some more.

Now, the weary and irritated Lexi was sitting with a pout on the beach as Law added another log to the fire pit they'd made. Thankfully it hadn't rained at all that morning, leaving plenty of accessible firewood in the vicinity.

Lexi, who sighed loudly and dramatically, flopped down onto her back and groaned loudly. "They need to hurry up and come rescue us!" She cried out, spreading out her arms and legs to stretch out in the sand. Law, who was trying to keep in the shade of their little cover for the fire pit, only watched her dryly. After the first few days of her bemoaning the fact that they still hadn't been rescued, the sentiment was getting a bit old.

She lay there for several minutes, not saying another word as she squinted up in anger at the sky. Then, standing with a huff, she wandered over to the line of trees further behind them. Simply out of sheer boredom, Law watched her as she passed him by and stooped to pick something up from the ground. Standing again, Lexi made her way back to the beach with an armful of rocks.

"What are you doing?" He questioned, curious as to what purpose those would play. Unceremoniously, she dumped the rocks onto the sand, careful not to accidentally hit one of her feet. Turning to him, she pursed her lips.

"Relieving stress." She replied, picking one of the rocks up and chucking it as far into the ocean as she could manage, letting loose a grunt of exertion. Even over the sound of the rolling waves and the breaking tides against the sand, they both heard the loud splash the rock caused upon hitting the water.

Moving onto the next, she threw it as far as her strength would allow, repeating the process to several more rocks thereafter. Law had to admit that watching her toss rocks into the water was strangely…calming…settling. How in the world it was helping, he would never be able to guess, but the idea of doing _something_ compared to just sitting there by the fire was enticing.

So, Law decided to join her. Brushing off the sand on his pants, he too went to the edge of the forest and grabbed as many rocks as he could carry. Lexi continued to throw the rocks she'd retrieved even as he approached her side, dumping his to the sand. She looked up at him in surprise, seeing his amused grin as he grabbed one and stepped a few paces back.

Lexi paused, watching him wind back his arm and pointedly throw his own rock much farther than the distance she'd managed to reach so far. They saw the rock careen through the air and splash into the water loudly.

"Hmph. Show off." Lexi muttered, purposely loud enough so he could hear. He chuckled, picking up another rock from the pile.

"Someone's a sore loser."

"Who said this was a competition, huh? Besides, we both know that my sheer will to win would overcome any strength advantage you may have over me." Lexi replied with a smirk of her own, already perusing their pile of rocks for one that would sail to victory.

"That's not how things work."

"Oh yeah? Then prove it."

"I intend to."

Lexi laughed, already aiming her next shot out into the sea. She'd prove to this asshole who the better rock-thrower was, once and for all. "I'm the underdog here, so don't underestimate me."

Law, of course, won their little game of rock toss into the ocean. Lexi, sufficiently in denial about his victory, tossed one rock back into the forest in an effort to not have to deal with his gloating. It was a childish notion either way, but it still felt satisfying to just throw something. The rock made a satisfying _thunk_ against the side of the tree it had hit, before tumbling to the ground with a rattle.

Her eyes wandered up the side of one of the trees, seeing brown, spherical shapes hanging from the top-most section of them. She smiled, pointing upwards at them. "Are those coconuts?"

Law peered after where she indicated, before nodded absentmindedly. "They'd be easy to get." He raised his hand to form his 'Room,' but Lexi stopped him with a chuckle.

"Using your devil fruit is no fun. Get it like a man would." Raising a rock, she smirked and looked back towards the coconuts in question, throwing back her arm and tossing her rock up as close as she could get it to the fruit. It conked against the side of the fruit but it stubbornly stayed in place, not falling.

Law rolled his eyes but went to get some more rocks anyways. It wasn't like they had anything better to do.

So their game of throwing rocks continued with the goal of gaining a few of those delicious coconuts. Most of the rocks flew just inches away from the trunk or the fruit in question, but some hit their mark. The coconuts seemed to be held on with strength, as they still did not fall.

Even after several trips of getting more rocks to throw, the fruits did not budge. Finally, Lexi fell to the sand, panting from the exertion of throwing all these rocks, and waved at Law dismissively. "I give up. Just use your devil fruit."

"What happened to 'getting it like a man?'" He questioned, turning towards her. She sighed.

"I'm too thirsty to do things the honorable way. When in doubt, cheat."

Smiling in amusement, Law shrugged, dropping the rock he had in his hand and easily used his power to switch two rocks with the coconuts above them after forming his 'Room.' Getting them open was just as easy, as the tops came right off with the help of his manipulation. He dropped the blue sphere after a moment, handing her one of the coconuts and keeping one for himself.

They sat there, basking in the sun, sipping easily at their coconuts. It felt nice to just sit there, not bothering to worry about their rescue. Law was fairly confident that the crew would find them, especially considering there weren't many islands around and Bepo was rather adept at navigation and surveying the area. He'd pored over the New World Maps vigilantly, studying the areas they would sail through just to be sure he was aware of any possible dangers. He was sure to find them.

The sun was nice against their skin, and the ever-present smell of fire burning lingered in the air. Lexi looked up at the roiling coils of black smoke in the air, and she gave a little laugh, catching Law's attention.

"What is it?"

Lexi grinned, taking another sip of her coconut. "Save for the fact that neither of us has had a shower in the past several days, or we are literally the only people on the island, and that we could be in danger of dying here…this almost feels like a vacation."

"Hmm." Law thought over that, finally nodding slowly. It almost did, though as soon as they were rescued, it would be back to the regular routines and the comforts of home. He almost— _almost—_ didn't want to have to go back to that. The peace here was nice, and something about the simplicity of having nothing to do was…alluring.

"I could get used to this place. Maybe it's not so bad after all." Lexi mused aloud, leaning back on one arm comfortably. The wind was a welcome feel against their backs as the sun beat down on them. She eyed her coconut with a raised brow. "All we need now is a good supply of rum so I can have piña coladas."

Law only eyed her lazily, watching as her face split in a big grin, eyes faraway. She chuckled again, shaking her head with a smile.

"God, what I wouldn't _give_ for a margarita right about now. Anything with alcohol, really." Another pause as she drank more of the coconut milk. "Even a Mai Tai, or a daiquiri."

"What about Sex on the Beach?" Came Law's 'innocent' question laden with unspoken implication, side-eyeing her pointedly. The corner of his mouth was twitched upwards. She pretended to think on it, sipping casually on her coconut with a hum, trying to hide the smile that threatened to show. Lexi wanted to come up with an appropriate response

"Never had it before." She decided to settle on, tilting her head.

"A shame. You'd enjoy it."

"Oh? I would?" She looked over at him coyly, able to resist her amused smile no longer.

He turned to look at her straight in the eyes, before they flicking down to her lips for just a moment. "Thoroughly."

Lexi bit her lip. Seeing the sudden hunger that flashed across his eyes, one no amount of coconuts could satisfy, made her chest seize with anticipation. The comfortable, lazy atmosphere they'd enjoyed for most of the afternoon vanished, and in it's place something much more heavy and meaningful filled the void.

Neither could do much more than stare, transfixed, into the other's eyes. Some pull they couldn't explain settled over them, and for all it was worth, neither wanted to look away. The sound of the waves against the surf must have had something to do with it, or the heat of the sun. Because all Lexi could see were those beautiful gray eyes, filled with a sudden lust she knew all too well.

They may both look ragged and dirty from days of surviving on the island, but somehow Lexi felt so… _wanted_ despite the fact, seeing no revulsion in her Captain eyes. As if he saw past the shell and only looked to her soul. That was what impressed her most.

The brunette felt herself leaning in further, eyes closing of their own volition-

" _Ooooiiiiii!"_ Came a distant shout, carried to them by the blowing wind. " _Caappttaaiinn! Leexxii!"_

Both pirates separated with a small jump, looking out at the ocean where a familiar, bright yellow submarine was drifting closer to the shore where they sat. Bepo stood on the outer deck, waving his hands excitedly in the air. Lexi smiled and stood from the sand.

"Bepo!" She called, returning his excited wave. The submarine steadily grew larger and larger as it came closer, until going any further would beach the vessel. Law rose slowly from beside her as Bepo jumped down from the deck and began running over towards them.

" _Captain!"_ He cried, tears streaming down his furry cheeks and flying off his face as he ran. " _You're alive!"_

Law sighed but smiled nonetheless, bracing himself for the literal bear hug that was about to commence. Lexi stood back a ways in an attempt to remove herself out of the first mate's way.

The poor bear crashed into his Captain, knocking him off his feet, and sent them both tumbling to the ground. Lexi heard Law grunt from the sheer force of his bear companion, and his breath was knocked away from Bepo's weight.

"B-Bepo, it's nice to see you too…" He somehow ground out, even as the bear picked him up in a tight embrace and refused to let go.

Lexi watched in amusement as the bear had his reunion with their Captain. In the meantime, some other members of the crew had come from inside the sub, jumping onto the shore with excitement at finding their nakama. Lexi, feeling the exhaustion starting to take over, accepted the welcomes from her comrades before heading inside to take a shower and then have a nap.

At least her bedroom wouldn't have giant ass spiders like that cave.


	32. Lexicon, Beeps, and Satchel

**Texting isn't that hard Law. Just type out your message. I can't answer calls all the time but I can respond to texts pretty much whenever. What's going on?**

Lexi deadpanned at the four missed calls from Law in the past half hour, trying to pay attention to her organic chemistry class. The professor was lecturing on this week's concept, and the brunette hadn't been very attentive throughout the class so far, having to preoccupy her mind with the calamity that could be happening at home.

The two people sitting adjacent had glanced her way after the second phone call she'd tried to hide, furiously pressing the 'ignore call' button to stop the vibrating. Now, after several minutes of neither another call from Law or a text of any kind, Lexi was getting a bit worried. Keeping a close eye on the lecture on the board, sneaking stray sentences and notes in her notebook in front of her, Lexi's leg tapped the ground impatiently, risking long stares at her phone for any sort of response.

Another ten minutes went by, with no response from Law. Then:

_when are you coming home_

Lexi frowned, feeling as if that question was oddly worrisome.

**My last class ends at 4:45 today. Is something wrong?**

Another long pause before:

_i don't know_

**Ok, what is happening?**

_theres a beep noise_

Lexi's frown deepened as she tried comprehending what exactly he was talking about.

**You're gonna have to be a bit more specific**

_upstairs_

**That does not help me.**

_its just a single beep_

**Still not helping**

_on the ceiling_

_every few minutes_

**Law you are making no sense whatsoever**

_they sound like explosives_

**what**

**what the hell is that supposed to mean?**

**Hello?**

_the beep sound_

_like some sort of bomb_

**THOSE IDIOTS BETTER NOT BE MAKING BOMBS IN MY HOUSE**

_they aren't. theres a thing on the ceiling beeping. what is it_

**A thing on the ceiling? What does it look like?**

_its a white circle. with a tiny light_

Lexi thought for a long time, finally clicking in her head what in the hell he was talking about. Then, she felt like an idiot for taking so long to realize it.

**Ohhhh thats a smoke detector. It probably needs new batteries. It's gonna beep like that until you put new ones in.**

_how do i do that_

Lexi smiled, before realizing that she'd been so caught up in her conversation with Law that the lecture was now way further than it had been five minutes ago. Some of what the professor was talking about made little sense to her. Shaking her head, she typed out a quick response to him and threw herself back into her studies.

**I'll tell you later. In the middle of class.**

Lexi was pretty confident they were smart enough to figure it out themselves.

* * *

 

Back at the house, Law looked at Lexi's reply with disdain. The loud, single beep of the 'smoke detector,' as he now knew it to be called, set his nerves on end. Eye twitching with each occasional beep of the infernal thing, Law resigned himself to a long afternoon of having to sit through this agonizing beeping sound.

* * *

 

A few hours later, Lexi was sitting in her Regulations and Codes class, smiling to herself in amusement and trying not to burst out laughing. It seemed Law had figured out how to reset the smoke detector batteries, or at least stop the beeping, but the long string of text messages from who she assumed to be Shachi and Penguin giving an almost play-by-play recounting of what they'd been up to were more than she could handle.

After Law's confused texting that morning, she'd turned her phone off to prevent any more distractions during the day, resulting in dozens of texts popping up once she turned it back on.

.

_lexicon captain doesn't know where the batteries are_

_wait never mind he found them_

_are these the right ones_

_oh wait how do you send pictures_

_you can send pictures right_

_lexicon how do you get to the search thing captain talked about_

_called google_

_search google_

_google_

_google help_

_how_

_lexicon_

_i cant figure it out_

_satchel doesn't know what he's doing_

_penguin is a baka_

_dont listen to him lexicon_

_satchel is a baby who cant get laid_

_penguin cries his way through sex_

_its not true i swear he's lying_

_afsejr S ASDLHFOOWo useaeh_

_qqqq575waw_

_.,bes a wfi/fpwEOR;SDOF_

_penguins ttrying to tak e the phonesaeosdffffffeqwooooooooo_

_._

For about ten minutes, there was a break in the messages, before they picked back up again.

.

_captain got mad_

_sorry lexicon_

_captain has a question_

_the batteries are pretty small_

_and cylinder_

_and brown_

_are those the right ones_

_wait we figured it out_

_no we didn't how do we get it open_

_theres no place to use a screwdriver_

_do you have a chisel anywhere_

_wait_

_we might have figured it out_

Another several minute break in between the messages.

_tide juke rol 4ry6f l,mhb ;n vxxd yufg ;lik,_

_mk; zip l11oiuv croisant a;sei6r_

_accfsd_

_943ojlnivp2 norwegian_

_beeps paws are too big for the buttons_

_why does it change beep to beep_

_beep_

_beep beep_

_lexicon what is happening_

_be police_

_b e p o_

_captain got the top off_

_why aren't you saying anything_

_lexicon_

_lexicon are you there_

_i think captain broke the thing_

_its hanging from the ceiling_

_theres a hole_

_is there any duct tape in the house_

_lexicon_

_we found some_

_dont be mad but there is a big hole in the ceiling in the hallway upstairs_

_we fixed it with duct tape so everything should be ok_

_._

Lexi struggled to contain her laughter as she followed the string of random and some incoherent text messages. She was relieved that they hadn't broken anything _too_ important, at the very least. Getting home to that mess would be…eventful to say the least.


	33. You Be Me, I'll Be You

"Room." Law said, holding his hand up as the customary disc of blue energy began to form beneath his palm. Lexi watched as it expanded across the bedroom and came to a stop at the edge of the wall, enclosing the both of them inside. Arms crossed, the brunette quirked a brow in his direction as he took out his own heart with the 'Mes' technique. The sight no longer came as a shock to her, seeing as he'd done the very same thing to her several times before.

"Are you sure that's necessary?" She inquired, swallowing despite agreeing to be his guinea pig for this little experiment. It wasn't the first time he'd asked her to, but something about this one made her hesitate. The sound of being in someone else's body didn't sound _too_ appealing, but Law had been pretty confident in his ability, so she played along.

"Relax. I've tried on a few animals before, and it seems to work. Now, hold still." He reassured, walking closer to her with a hole in his chest, before muttering 'Mes' a second time. His outstretched arm passed clean through her own chest, and he retracted it to show her own heart in his other hand.

"Hold these." He instructed, and she gently took hold of both of the organs, rolling her eyes as he stepped a few paces away.

"You know, at one point in my life I would've freaked out if someone told me to hold two still-beating hearts in my hands. Now look at me. I do it just for shits and giggles." She gestured upwards with both of the cubes, and Law smiled thinly.

"Yes, you've adjusted quite well, haven't you?"

"I guess that's one way to put it." She shook her head, watching as Law brought his fingers upwards, face set in determined lines. Her nervousness returned, and she swallowed again. This was something new, and she wasn't sure what came next at this point.

"Shambles." Came his familiar technique, but instead of anything switching places, Lexi watched in fascination as two heart-shaped outlines appeared from out of the hearts in her hands. The brunette couldn't speak as they detached themselves and floated in a circle in the air for a moment, before stopping in place and disappearing back into the cubes.

"Nngh…" Lexi suppressed and groan of pain. Well, not pain exactly, but a deep throb in her chest once they disappeared. She closed her eyes to ward it off. Distantly, she felt the field of Law's Room shrink away into nothingness, it's purpose having finished. The moment passed, the momentary discomforting gone, and she opened her eyes again…

…to see her own body standing a few feet away, still holding the organs.

"What the hell…?" She slowly asked of no one, frowning in confusion. Her body opened it's eyes, blinked a few times, and looked down at the hearts, holding them up a few inches higher to inspect them closer.

"It seems to have worked. How are you feeling?" Law's voice spoke from Lexi's lips, eyes much too serious and confident to be her own.

Lexi moved her—Law's—hands up against the chest she was occupying. Seeing the digits she controlled covered in tattoos was a strange sensation. A glance down confirmed that indeed, she was inside Law's body right now. It was unusual not to see her own breasts right under her chin, but there was only the flat surface of Law's hoodie. Also, she noted with interest, her field of vision was much higher than she was used to.

"This is trippy…" She finally explained, unsure of how to describe the experience. This body felt different, but as if she'd been using it her entire life. Perhaps the transition of bodies was smoother than one would think. "Nothing's in pain, though. And I'm a lot taller than I was a minute ago."

"Hmm…" Law hummed, eyes now skirting around him and inspecting the world through her viewpoint. "You're certainly shorter from this perspective. More so than I thought."

Growling, Lexi pointed down at him accusingly. "Just because that's my body doesn't mean I won't punch you in it."

Ignoring her outburst, he flexed his fingers to get used to the feeling. "Interesting. This could certainly help with infiltration situations. Or even interrogation…" He thought quietly to himself.

"Alright, alright. You've tried your experiment. It worked. Now put me back in my body before you look down my shirt or something." Lexi grumped, crossing her arms with a pout. The expression probably looked comical on Law's face, but she couldn't be bothered to care at that moment.

"It's not like I haven't seen all of you already." Law chuckled, handing her the hearts once again.

"It's the morals behind it!" She snarled, watching as he raised his hand again.

"Room." He muttered, and Lexi waited for the usual blue film to envelope the both of them.

Nothing happened.

Lexi watched a frown come over her body's face, and the fingers twitched. "Room!" Law tried again, but still to no end.

An empty stillness came over the room as the both of them remained silent, the realization hitting the captain and the medic at the same time. Their eyes met and they shared a concerned look.

"You're powers…they must be linked to your body…" Lexi muttered, staring down at the hearts in her hands. "Which means-"

"I can't change us back." Law agreed, turning his face downwards and hiding it behind her hair. " _You_ have to."

* * *

 

Law watched with a mixture of fascination and irk as Lexi, who was stuck in his body, repeatedly gestured with her hand for his usual technique. "Room!" She said again, for perhaps the thirtieth time. Nothing happened, yet again.

"I'm telling you! Concentrate on bringing the energy to a focused point in your hand. You can't just say the command and expect anything to happen!" He chastised, arms crossed. The sensation of breasts above his forearms was new, and slightly heavy. It was strange to think of how much strain they could put on one's spine.

Lexi contorted his own face into something close to panic, clenching his tattooed fingers with worry. The expression was something very unlike him. "I'm trying. Your stupid powers are difficult to understand and control, ok?"

"Well, unless you figure it out, we're stuck like this." He snapped back, more angry at himself than at her. It was his own idea to use himself as one of the participants, wanting to experience his technique first hand so he could better understand it's limitations and applications. Of course, this turn of events had been unprecedented.

Lexi closed her eyes again, obviously trying to shut him out and concentrate. Law quieted down, hoping she was getting the concept and that they'd make progress soon. He wanted his body back already.

"Room." She said again, holding her fingers out like he always did. They waited several seconds, but nothing happened. Defeated, Lexi slumped her shoulders—well, more accurately _his_ shoulders—and let out a pent up breath. "I don't know, I've tried it so many times but I don't feel anything."

Law reached up and rubbed at his forehead. In doing so, he brushed a bunch of stray hair out of his face. How did Lexi manage to do anything with all this hair getting in the way? Trying to keep his frustration in check, he stood and tapped his foot in thought.

"We just have to keep at it." He thought back to years previously, when he was still getting used to having his devil fruit to begin with. "It took me a few weeks to figure out how to really start using my devil fruit-"

"Weeks? Am I gonna be stuck in this body for that long?" She cried, gesturing down at the body she now occupied. Law frowned, bothered by her tone.

"What's wrong with my body?" He asked in irritation.

"Nothing, but think about it! If we get attacked anywhere, I'm going to be expected to fight. With powers I don't know how to use. Plus, you're the Captain. Everyone's gonna think I'm you!"

"We'll come to that when we get there. The crew will have to know immediately, in the event that such things occur." Gesturing for her to stand, Law took their hearts from her and placed them on his desk.

"Shouldn't we put them back in our bodies?" Lexi asked, twisting Law's face into an expression of uncertainty. The captain sighed, resigning himself to seeing his own reflection making faces he would normally never make. It was going to be a long few weeks if that's how long it took.

"I'd rather you have one less ability to learn before we can get ourselves back to normal. The one I used to switch us was difficult to begin with, but Mes is even more so. Not to mention, it requires a great deal of precision."

"Right…" She muttered, wrapping her arms around herself. Law lead them outside the room, towards the mess hall where the crew would be gathering soon for dinner.

* * *

 

Naturally, most of the crew found it rather hilarious that their captain and his lady were stuck in opposite bodies, but most had the tact not to openly laugh about it or otherwise make any comments. Lexi was thankful of that, and dinner proceeded much like normal. Except she noticed the silent glances her way now. It made her a bit uncomfortable, but she tried not to let it show.

"Just ignore it." Law instructed, looking entirely too serious in her body. She couldn't ever recall a time when her own face had looked so stoic and stern before. Jeez, frowning like he was doing now almost looked painful.

They ate their meals in silence, both too preoccupied with their own thoughts to speak. Lexi kept staring at the inked fingers and hands she possessed, running her fingers over the letting unconsciously. A part of her knew they had to have hurt getting them in the first place, but there was no phantom pain.

Law must have noticed her fascination, because he snapped his fingers a few times. "Oi, quit rubbing at my hands like that. It's weird."

Lexi felt a blush creep up her face, which no doubt looked foreign on Law's body. Trying to hold it back, she stuttered and pointed at him accusingly. "Well…well, then stop sitting like a man in my body!"

Law normally sat with his longer legs spread slightly, to make it easier on his knees under the tables. But now, in Lexi's own shorter body, there was no need for it. However he found himself doing it out of habit, making Lexi look much more impolite than she actually was.

"Tch." He scoffed, but did lessen the gap between his knees nonetheless. And Lexi placed her hands in her lap, hiding them from view. They looked away from each other, hoping beyond hope that Lexi learned how to control these powers soon so they wouldn't have to put up with the wrong bodies anymore.

* * *

 

Lexi excused herself from dinner first, wanting to try to use his powers again. When he rose to join her, she stopped him with a hand. "I want to do it alone. You staring at me the whole time doesn't help." Reluctantly, he agreed, then watched her leave the mess deck.

With nothing else to do, Law wandered the halls to see the world from Lexi's perspective. Everything that should have been eye level for him was at least half a foot above his head. No wonder Lexi always got mad at him for calling her short. She certainly was, and he could imagine situations where being reminded of that fact wouldn't be helpful. However, it wouldn't deter him from continuing to do so.

He found himself having to take shorter, faster steps in order to keep pace with what his body's legs could accomplish in half the stride. Another drawback of being short.

Footsteps behind him made him stop, and Law looked back to see Shachi and Penguin approaching. They looked unusually excited about something, and he frowned.

"Lexi-ch- ah, I mean, Captain!" Penguin greeted. "How did you and Lexi-chan get mixed up in each other's bodies exactly?"

Law sighed and shook his head. "It was my own fault. I wanted to experiment with a new ability. When I switch bodies with someone, my powers stay with my body. Now Lexi-ya has to figure out how to use them to return us to normal."

"Ah jeez, that blows." Shachi agreed, unable to prevent the grin from his face however. "But hey, being in Lexi-chan's body has it's perks, yeah?"

Law raised a brow in confusion for a moment, unable to see what they were talking about, before he noticed their gazes were set a little further south than his face. Looking down, he remembered that he was now in the possession of breasts, which were the focus of both of his mechanics' attentions.

"Oi-" He started, about to berate them for acting inappropriately, but Penguin beat him to it.

"Captain, do you think we could just touch them? And…you won't tell Lexi-chan anything right?"

"As a favor to us, man to man. Just once?" Shachi begged, clasping his hands together. "We've dreamed of it ever since she joined the crew-"

Law let out a sigh. "Take your perverted minds somewhere else, bakas." He chastised, pointing back down the hall where they'd come. "Go, before I tell Lexi-ya what you just said."

Their faces were struck with horror, imagining what the brunette would do to them once she found out, and took off with terrified shouts down the hallway towards the mess deck. Satisfied they wouldn't ask that again, Law turned around and continued down the way he'd been going, feeling slightly dirtier than he had been a moment ago.

* * *

 

Lexi's eyes widened, seeing the beginnings of a spinning disc beneath her hands. It was small, almost unnoticeable unless you were looking for it, but it was there. She could feel a tiny rush of energy forming it beneath her palm, swirling in a circular pattern. The fascination with it is what caused her to break concentration, and it broke apart before her eyes.

"Dammit…" She bit, flenching her fists as the moment was gone. It was the first time she'd successfully felt something other than frustration this whole evening. After dozens of attempts at trying, she finally began to show progress.

Not having Law around to push her further was a little helpful too, but she knew he'd be returning from dinner soon. To which he'd probably end up sitting beside her trying to help. She knew he was doing it with good intentions, having insight into how the powers worked, but his constant frowning was making her a bit nervous. Plus, seeing her own body staring at her was…sort of creepy.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself, bringing her hands up like usual. Trying to emulate Law, and repeat what she just accomplished, she imagined some sort of energy pooling in her hand. "Room." She said hopefully.

The swirling sensation returned, and she saw the blue disc a bit clearer this time. However, she also remembered that Law said it sucked his stamina away if he used the ability too much. She found herself panting within a minute or two of trying to strengthen the disc to something closer to what Law could form.

Her hand began shaking with the strain, and she finally dropped it out of exhaustion. Her chest heaved and she leaned back against the bed. Lexi couldn't imagine the strain Law normally put himself through just to maintain one of his giant rooms, let alone actually form one. Of course, perhaps most of it was a mental strain rather than physical, to which Lexi was nowhere near as enduring as her Captain. He'd been practicing these things for years.

The bedroom door opened to reveal said Captain, quirking a brow when he noticed she were sitting on the ground in exhaustion.

"I was able to form that blue disc thing, but only for a second." She admitted, waving her hand excitedly. "I get why you try to use your ability only minimally though. I feel drained."

"Yes, it's a great strain after too many uses. Looks like you'll have to slowly build up an endurance for it as well. That'll take time and practice." He admitted, sighing and rubbing the back of his neck. It seemed her hair was irritating him, because he moved it away from his neck in frustration.

"Still getting used to my body's quirks?" Lexi inquired, watching from the floor with amusement. Law scowled and shook his head.

"How do you get anything done with all this hair? It's constantly getting in my face."

Lexi shrugged with a chuckle. "It's an art." Her joke fell a little flat, seeing as Law didn't laugh at it, but she didn't care. "You'll just have to get used to it, as you so kindly put it earlier. I have to deal with having a dick, and you've gotta deal with breasts. Simple as that."

Lexi heard him grumble a few incomprehensible curses under his breath, before disappearing into the bathroom nearby. She stood then, having regained some of her strength from before. "Where are you going?"

"Taking a shower."

Lexi was about to yell at him not to, but then realized that if they were going to be stuck in each other's bodies for a long period of time, they'd also have to wash them appropriately too. Which meant Lexi would also have to bathe Law's body too. The thought both unnerved her and excited her. With such short hair, she could be in and out in a matter of minutes.

Maybe being a guy had some perks.

Lexi was shaken from her thoughts as the shower turned on. Deciding that she was too drained to keep practicing for the night, Lexi stood and wandered over to the bed, flopping down onto it unceremoniously. Stretching out liberally, she closed her eyes and relaxed, keeping an ear out for if Law had any issues.

* * *

 

Law stood under the spray of the shower, suddenly all the more aware of how many shower products Lexi possessed. He'd always known she had quite a few products, but never really paid them any mind until now. The two bottles of shampoo and conditioner were self explanatory, but the other five tubes and bottles left him a little confused. Face cleanser. Facial scrub. Body lotion. Scented body soap. The list went on, and Law realized why it took her forever to take showers.

"Do you really use every single one of these products?" He called, inspecting a few of them incredulously. He wasn't even sure if he knew how to use some of these properly.

"You bet, though some I do every other time to give my skin a break." She responded casually.

"I've never seen you use them when _I_ join you." He hinted, almost wanting to call a bluff so he wouldn't have to figure all of this out. He could hear Lexi laugh from the bedroom.

"You think I'd really want to go through that whole routine when there's a hot pirate in the shower with me? I don't think so."

Law smirked proudly but sighed nonetheless, opening the bottle of shampoo that smelled like strawberries and resigning himself to the fact that he'd be smelling like a female for the next little while. He squirted out about as much as he normally did for his shampoo and began to lather it in his—Lexi's—hair.

It took only a moment to realize that was nowhere near enough, and he opened the bottle for more. Curse Lexi's long hair. This was going to take a bit longer than he thought.

* * *

 

Almost 45 minutes later, Lexi watched as Law came out from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She was at least thankful he wasn't taking every opportunity to simply be in her body naked. Nice to know he respected her at least that much. His wet hair lay in strands across his shoulders, and he held her comb in his hands.

"I'm half tempted to cut your hair while I''m stuck in your body." He mused, and she glared at him.

"Don't even joke about that."

Shrugging, Law went looking for some clothes to wear, all the while trying to detangle the mess that was Lexi's head of hair. She winced when he dragged the comb roughly through the tangles, no doubt causing more damage than good.

"Hey, be gentle! You're gonna rip all my hair out at that rate!" She chastised from the bed, and Law scoffed. Still, he at least tried combing through it a bit gentler, but it still made her anxious.

"Ok, please put down the comb. It's painful just watching you try." She stood and wandered over to him, stealing the comb from his hand. "Just put some clothes on and I'll untangle it myself."

* * *

 

Once Law had found a t-shirt and shorts to sleep in, he found himself sitting cross-legged in front of his own body, scowling as Lexi combed through her own hair in a much gentler fashion than Law had tried earlier. Occasionally, he could feel the comb tugging on his head but it was bearable. Barely even painful. Lexi apparently was very fond of her long hair, and treated it as well as she could.

Law had never had that problem, barely needing a comb to bring his all into order.

So he relented and let her take care of this little problem for herself. It was almost sort of…relaxing, the sensation of a comb gently passing across his scalp. He wondered if she thought it was too.

"You're doing well." He blurted out unexpectedly, realizing he'd been pretty bitter towards her all day. The comb paused a moment before starting up again. He elaborated. "It's not you I'm angry at, but I've been taking it out on you. It wasn't my intention."

"It's alright. I'm used to your moods by now." She replied lightheartedly, appearing to ignore his growl of warning. "I'm sure I'll figure out how to use your powers right eventually. It's just a matter of when. I mean, if you could figure them out when you were a kid, I'm sure I could do it too as an adult."

Law nodded silently, thinking she couldn't have phrased it better.

"Did you have someone to help you figure everything at the beginning too?" She inquired, wondering if there were people who could teach those things, but Law shook his head.

"No, everything I know about my devil fruit is self-taught. It took years for me to get to this point, and I'm still learning new things about it."

"That's pretty impressive, you know. Learning something like that by yourself without any help…not something I'd be happy to do." She said quietly, finishing up combing through her body's hair. "Thanks for helping me figure it out."

Law hummed, pushing himself up so Lexi could stand. She put the comb back on the bathroom counter. Law glanced at the clock and noticed it was getting pretty late.

"We may as well get some sleep. It'll make sure you're refreshed in the morning to keep trying."

"Sure thing." She said, yawning openly. She clambered over to her side of the bed, getting herself comfortable underneath the covers. Law did the same over on the other side, and the only sound in the room was the shuffling of sheets and linens. Lexi turned off the lamp on her side of the bed, plunging the room in darkness.

Law went to lay on his side like he was accustomed to do, shirting his body to become more comfortable. What he hadn't anticipated, or thought of, was the addition of breasts into the equation. They were pressed painfully into the mattress, half trapped underneath his own body. Scowling to himself, he tried shifting onto his chest, another of his usual sleeping positions, but this only made things worse by resting his entire weight onto the fleshy mounds.

Finally, he was forced to sleep on his back. It wasn't one of his normal sleeping positions, as Law had always found it difficult to sleep this way, but it was the most convenient for the body he was stuck in now. Law tried not to let the sigh come out too loud, but it still did anyway.

"Breasts are very inconvenient." He muttered, causing Lexi to chuckle under her breath beside him.

* * *

 

Lexi stood frozen at the two bathroom doors, unsure of which one to go into. A few crew members passed her by, smirking when they noticed her internal dilemma. However, none of them offered up any sort of solution to her problem and kept walking. Feeling a blush creep up her cheeks, she turned and walked away towards the Captain quarters. She was not about to go into the wrong one and cause a scene. Looks like she was going to have to use their own until they got things back to normal.

* * *

 

It was a few days later that Law asked her to train a bit with his body to get more familiar with it combat-wise. She'd blanched, stuttering a quick disagreement, but Law was adamant. "Should we run into trouble, I don't want you completely helpless." Was all he'd said, before ushering her into the training room.

Thankfully, only Shachi and Penguin were in the room with them, making Lexi a bit more comfortable. It was weird to be walking around in Law's body, knowing full well her mannerisms weren't anything like his. Come to think of it, it must have been strange on the crew's part to be seeing their Captain acting so unlike himself.

"Shachi-ya, Penguin-ya, I'd like you two to help train her while she's in my body." He gestured to Lexi, who stood there uneasily.

The engineers nodded, and wandered over to join them. "Don't worry, Lexi-chan. We're not going to seriously hurt you or anything."

"We'll start off with basic techniques, but slowly get into more serious fighting as you become used to using my body for combat." Law explained, hanging back and watching from the sidelines.

Law quickly realized that although Lexi had never participated in straight hand-to-hand combat before, his body's muscle memory must have been retained when she took it over, because despite her inexperience she was doing rather well. Most of Penguin's and Shachi's punches were deflected or blocked, and the speed at which she retaliated was more than what he would have expected for her. They still landed quite a few hits, but less than he would have expected.

It seemed Lexi had come to the same conclusion, because after some time of practicing, she shook out her hands and stared at them. "It's weird, but I feel like I know what to do even when I've never done anything like this before."

"Perhaps the natural instinct for self preservation and some muscle memory stick with the body as well…" Law finally mused his hypothesis aloud, rubbing at his chin in thought. "Let's keep going, however. I want you to be exposed to all types of situations, in case you find yourself having to be in a fight in my body."

So they continued. Shachi and Penguin both took turns attacking from different angles and using different styles. Lexi was able to keep up with most, but there was a distinct lack of finesse or confidence to her movements. She was still panicking.

Law finally asked both of his mechanics to attack her at once, knowing that against an enemy pirate crew, or even the Navy for that matter, it was impossible to believe they'd stay true to one-on-one fights. Ganging up was a favorite tactic.

Shachi stood behind her, Penguin in front, and she glanced back and forth to watch the both of them. Penguin made the first move, and Lexi was barely able to catch his first punch before rounding to block the kick Shachi sent towards her knee.

They sparred like this for several seconds, with Lexi holding her own reasonably well, but it was apparent that two enemies was more than she could take. Her movements began to slow, her responding attacks easier to dodge or deflect. Law watched proudly as she kept going anyways.

Finally, it all came to a head when she turned to avoid Shachi's punch, only to walk straight into the kick that Penguin threw…

Straight into her crotch.

Law winced at the phantom sensation of just how much that hurt, and watched in shared agony as Lexi cried out in pain and collapsed to the floor. He thought, not for the first time, that women had no idea just how much that particular wound could hurt, but figured Lexi probably knew well enough now.

"Fucking hell…" She gasped out, tucking her legs up a bit protectively.

"Lexi-chan! Are you ok?" Penguin asked, dropping his attack stance and moving to help her up along with Shachi, but she waved the both of them away.

"Fine." She bit out, curled up on the floor. "Fuck, I…ugh…just need a sec."

Law took pity on her and approached the fighters. "I'd say that's enough for the time being. We'll start back up later and practice some more."

Lexi groaned from the floor, and Shachi and Penguin reluctantly let the both of them be, feeling bad for causing the brunette so much pain. They both winced too, imagining if it had been one of them to get kicked in the balls. They shuddered and moved quickly down the hallway.

* * *

 

"Captain! Navy ship inbound!" Bepo's cried, eyes still staring at the radar screen intently, and Law scowled in the brunette's body.

"Damn…" He muttered, gripping the back on Bepo's chair tighter. He was afraid this would happen eventually. "What's the ETA?"

"About 3 minutes, from the east."

Jean Bart, who was at the periscope, interrupted them. "They've already started prepping cannons for attack."

Law bit back the curse, wondering how on earth they'd surprised them like this out of nowhere. "Have the crew prepare for a fight."

"Aye, Captain!" The first mate called, pressing a few buttons and finally reaching for the speaker that projected to the entire sub for announcements such as this. Law left his navigators be and went to find Lexi. His shorter legs ran through the hallways as he passed some of his crew. They gave him only a glance but continued on towards the armory for their weapons, even as Bepo continued informing them of the threat approaching. Law kept running, navigating the sub easily.

He rounded a corner and saw her looking around uneasily. "Lexi-ya!" He called, garnering her attention. She met him halfway.

"What's going on?"

"A Navy ship is approaching." He explained, feeling a rumble and hearing a great splash of water outside the sub as what he presumed to be a cannonball landed in the water not far from them. The sub rocked a bit more violently from the force, but was otherwise undamaged. "Where is my sword?"

Lexi's eyes flitted about nervously, trying to remember. "Umm…uh…you…you left it in the training room I think!" She finally recalled, snapping her fingers. Nodding, he lead her through the halls.

The room was empty, most of the crew having gathered in the armory on the opposite side of the sub. Another violent rocking made them eerily aware that the threat was still approaching. Law's sword sat in the corner, where Lexi had last put it. He'd insisted she at least get herself familiar with it in case something happened.

Law went to grab the weapon but struggled to keep it hefted. He frowned, then turned towards Lexi. It was what he'd feared. Lexi had nowhere near enough strength in her body to properly use his sword, even if he had the instinct and mindset to actually wield it.

"I'm gonna have to go out there, aren't I?" She asked, eyes widening in a panic. He nodded silently, handing her the sword. She lifted it easily, possessing Law's muscles that had been honed to do exactly that. She unsheathed it and stared at the blade.

"Keep in mind what we learned in practice." He reminded, pushing her out towards the door. Then, he paused, whirling her to face him again. "And please, don't go swinging your sword in the direction of the crew."

She nodded several times, swallowing nervously, before following after him. Law grabbed a few pistols from the armory, knowing Lexi was rather proficient in using them, and joined the rest of his crew out on the outside deck of the sub.

In the back of his mind, he registered the thick fog that hung over the ocean here, figuring that was how they'd been surprised in the first place. The second was the immense navy ship about to come alongside them.

The Heart Pirates gave a battle cry, waving their weapons in the air, and the Navy responded in a similar fashion. Once they'd drifted close enough, men from the Navy began to jump over the side onto the yellow deck below, clashing with the pirates waiting.

Law remained by Lexi's side just in case, guns at the ready. The brunt of the battle between the crew began, and the sound of clashing swords and gunshots rang around them. More Marines spilled onto their deck.

"Hyaa!" Lexi heard, watching the polar bear fly across the deck in a spinning fashion. Left and right, soldiers went flying into the water. She grinned, finding it a little funny.

"Trafalgar Law!" A cry came from behind her. Startled, she spun just in time to see a Marine had somehow snuck their way behind them, and was sprinting towards her full pelt with his sword raised threateningly.

Law's blessed muscle memory kicked in at that moment, and she unsheathed the sword with a flourish, bringing it up just in time to block it. She expected the strength of the man before her to push her back, but Law's body stuck in place, meeting the angry soldier with just as much strength.

A gunshot rang out right beside her, and the Marine slowly dropped to his knees, a red stain growing across his chest. He collapsed to the deck, and Lexi looked over to see Law lower the gun he'd shot to his side again.

"Well done." He complimented, meeting her eye. "But we've only just started." He gestured with his head back towards the deck, where most of the space was occupied with individual fights. Law's crew were slowly but surely pushing back, if he could see correctly.

Lexi glanced over at the ship, noticing a man standing out at the edge. He wore one of the white-colored, grandiose coats that the higher ranked officers had. Their eyes met, and he chose that moment to jump down from the ship, slicing men left and right as he made his way closer to them.

"Shit…" She muttered, watching as he jumped several feet in the air and landed on the edge of the railing closest to her.

Beside her, Law was focused on several men that hoped to come up from behind her, and so did not see the much bigger threat approaching them.

Something caused her to look back up, and she brought the sword up as well, blocking the sword stroke that would have decapitated her had she not been paying attention. Standing her ground, the force behind the attack caused her to slide back several inches. Gritting her teeth, Lexi pushed back with all she could.

"I'll take pleasure in finally killing you, pirate." The officer spat venomously between them. Lexi shoved him back, disgusted by his threat. He immediately went back in on the offensive, forcing Lexi to black and deflect the sword strokes as she could.

At this rate, she'd only be pushed back and at risk of getting hurt, so Lexi turned the sword and tried a swing of her own, watching with disappointment as the man easily blocked it.

"What's this? I expected you to be a bit more dangerous than that. You'd best not be holding back on me, now. I'm insulted." He said again, pushing back and almost causing her to stumble. She recovered her balance and was just in time to block another attack aimed at her neck. The blades clashed, shaking against each other with the strength of both opponents.

"Hmm, and no smart mouth either? Today's just not your day is it?"

Lexi was getting fed up with the man's words, and she used her anger to fuel her next few attacks. Swinging and hacking away at him. She was pleased to see he gave a few feet in ground. It wouldn't last long, she knew, but it was better than nothing.

The Navy officer flicked his blade to the side, deflecting the bullets that Law shot at him, trying to help Lexi in some way. It seemed he'd taken care of the others that had been trying to attack her from behind, but the firepower hadn't done much in way of help. However, it had drawn his attention away for just a moment, giving Lexi the opportunity to take advantage of the idea that had been forming in her mind since the start of the fight.

She hadn't imagined actually using Law's abilities in combat. The concentration it required was high, but all the anger she had facing him, an unprecedented amount, seemed to help. Growling, she brought her hand up behind her back, feeling that swirling energy come to the forefront.

"Room." She muttered, too low for the Marine to hear. His attention now back on her, he aimed an overhead stroke down towards her, but she jumped back to avoid it, giving some space between the both of them.

Thanking the hours and hours of practice Law had her do over the past several days, she was pleased to see the blue film expand around them over the battlefield. It reached past the ship, surprising even her. But she was too angry to think much more on it, before she gripped her sword and swung violently towards the man with a grunt of exertion.

It appeared he hadn't yet recovered from his overhead attack, as he staggered back a few paces but otherwise was unable to escape the radius of Lexi's attack. Her cut carried much farther than the reach of the sword, slicing the man in half at the waist. He cried out, but it was deafened by the rumbling of the ship behind him.

Combatants turned and saw the top half of the ship floating upwards from where she'd cleaved through it. The Marines fighting cried out in panic, giving the pirates the edge they needed to turn the tide of victory.

Another gunshot rang, and the man's upper half was sent spinning through the air of Lexi's room. The sword he'd carried was released, and it spun away in a different direction from his torso. Flecks of blood were stuck in stasis around him. Lexi looked over and saw Law staring up at the man with a pleased smirk.

Feeling the adrenaline beginning to wear off as the battle slowly died down, she lowered the tip of the sword and the room disappeared again. The surviving Marines, seeing their leader defeated, had turned tail and jumped into the ocean below in an attempt to return to their ship. However, as soon as the blue film was released, the top half of the ship came crashing down on top of the lower portion, causing the whole structure to snap and creak with the unexpected weight. Wood beams splintered, metal railings were flung this way and that, and the men cried out in fear again, this time dodging wreckage and ruin from their own ship.

"Bepo! Set as course away from here!" Law took charge again, pointing towards the entrance of the sub again. "Everyone inside! Help any wounded to the med bay!"

Law's orders carried over the fading sounds of victory from his men, and everyone rushed to do as he'd instructed. Lexi stood there swaying a moment, but eventually found the sheath for Law's sword and joined the rest of the crew.

* * *

 

Lexi returned to their room and sighed, running a hand through her short hair. She was still getting used to the sensation of not having her longer locks, but as long as Law didn't make good on his threat to actually go cutting it, she'd patiently wait to have it back. It was just after dinner, and she'd been practicing Law's abilities all day. It was exhausting work, but her skills were slowly getting better. As she'd shown in the battle against the Navy, she could successfully form a Room. All that was left to learn was the personality transplant surgery which, according to Law, was one of the more difficult ones to perform. Just great.

She rubbed at her head, thinking about taking a shower to rid herself of the sweat that had formed from all of her practice. She walked to the closet attached to the bathroom, searching for a clean towel. Her eyes travelled the wardrobe and dresser, narrowing when she saw several pieces of paper stuffed away at the very top. Her usual height prevented her from seeing that high up, but Law's extra height made it possible.

Reaching for them, she was mortified to find they were porn magazines. Feeling her cheeks heat up, she went to put them back. Then, a little miffed, she wondered why on earth Law had these. Wasn't she enough? Pouting through her slight anger, she flipped through some of them just to see what all the fuss was about. And to gauge if any of the women were more attractive than her.

Even after the first couple pages, with scantily-dressed or completely nude women adorning them, Lexi's pride took a hit as she came to the conclusion that yes, they were all leagues more attractive than her. And what was worse, only a couple out of the girls shown were brunette. Was brown hair not his type? Damn, she never should have picked this up to begin with.

Tensing, Lexi felt a tight sensation in the crotch of the jeans she was wearing, and looked down to see an obvious bulge. Horrified, she quickly tossed the magazine back where it belonged and began to undress. It was a good thing she had intended to take a shower to begin with, because a cold one was now very much in order.

She'd pretend that she never saw those magazines to begin with.

* * *

 

Rubbing at the headache that was beginning to form, Lexi brought up her hand and muttered 'Room' with little enthusiasm. The blue film expanded around the both of them as they sat on the floor. Law looked to be just as tired, but they were eager to get back to normal, so they kept at it anyway.

"Now, don't concentrate on the physical cubes, but both of our minds. It's not the hearts you're switching, it's the personalities." He reminded, holding both of the beating organs in his hands.

Nodding mutely, and holding back the expletive words she really wanted to say, she held up her hand and stared intensely at the cubes.

"Shambles." She said, twisting her hand as he instructed to do. Just like the last time, the hearts switched places, coming to rest again on opposite hands. Law sighed quietly but said nothing. Frustrated with herself, she shook her head and tried again. "Shambles."

The same result.

"Dammit…" She muttered, shifting her position on the floor to something more comfortable. Maybe that would help.

"Try to focus." He reminded, and she glared at him angrily.

"You telling me to focus does not make me more inclined to focus, funnily enough."

He frowned in return. "I'm only trying to help."

"Well, being quiet would be much more helpful, thanks." She bit, holding up her hand again. "Shambles!"

Still, the hearts switched places but she was still stuck in his body. It appeared Law couldn't help but point out her mistakes, because he shook his head again. "You're focused too much on the hearts."

"What do you want from me?" She cried, throwing her hands up in frustration. The room released around them as she lost concentration on keeping it active. Snarling, Law set the hearts down on the ground and stood.

"I want you to do as I instruct. If you did, we would be back to normal by now."

Lexi stood as well, stepping past him and pacing in a few directions. "It's not that simple."

"I know exactly how simple it is. I'm the one who created the technique!" He said angrily, meeting her face to face again. She whirled to face him again.

"Look, _I'm sorry_ I'm not some goddamn genius, ok? Sorry I can't figure out something in a week what it took you years to do! Lay off me, I'm trying my best!"

Lexi watched as Law smirked, then went to retrieve the two hearts from the floor. "Well, obviously your best isn't good enough."

"Tch." She scoffed, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. Where in the hell was this coming from? Law had been patient thus far in her attempts to learn his abilities. Why was he being an asshole about it now? Her anger bubbled over, and she dismissively waved him off. "Fuck you, Law."

"If you have time to curse at me, then you have time to try again." He stated bluntly, holding up the hearts again. "Create a Room."

"…" She bit her lip but did as instructed, her hands shaking with fury. The blue film expanded, much quicker than her previous ones had. She brought her fingers up and twisted. "Shambles."

Once again, the hearts simply switched places, and Law narrowed his eyes at her. "Again."

"Shambles!" She tried again, pissed at the same result. This was getting to be ridiculous. All this practice was tiring her out and she was hungry. Lexi was almost tempted to give it up, but Law was having none of it.

"Again."

"Shambles."

"Again!"

"Shambles!"

" _Again!_ " He barked, the command cutting at her like a whip.

Him yelling at her was the last straw. Closing her eyes to shut him out, she jerkily twisted her wrist. The fury she held towards him came out clearly in the single word she shouted. " _Shambles!"_

Startled, Lexi felt that deep throb in the center of her chest again, followed by a mild wave of discomfort, before she blinked and saw Law standing in front of her. She looked down and saw the hearts still beating in her hands, and she let out a pent up breath.

"…it worked." She said quietly, feeling some of her anger start to fade. Law dropped the room around them and grabbed one of the hearts, squeezing minutely. He winced, satisfied it was indeed his, before returning it to his chest. A sigh of relief left his lips and he stretched his arms above him.

"Finally." He stated, smiling with contentment.

Lexi set her own heart back in her chest, then frowned, thinking back to the past several minutes. "You know, you didn't have to be an ass about all of that." Crossing her arms, she turned and walked towards the bathroom, intent on brushing her tangles hair since it was clear Law hadn't taken the time to take care of it like she did.

A hand on her shoulder made her stop, and Law faced her. "When emotions are high like that, I find it easier to use some of my abilities. So, I thought it may be the same case for you."

"You could have told me you know!" She griped, trying to leave again but he stopped her.

"Had I told you straight off the bat, they would have been forced, and it may not have worked as well." Law reasoned, finally releasing her from his grip. She glared at him a few seconds, before giving a soft 'hmph' and turning towards the bathroom again.

He didn't follow after her, and she set to getting her hair back into place. Despite still carrying some of the traces of anger from before, her smile was wide and genuine. She was finally able to see her own face in the mirror again, and everything felt normal. Even her shortness didn't bother her for once.

Yes, it was good to be Lexi again.


End file.
